Firebase client on ReactNative

Question

When using Firebase on ReactNative, it will show such error message:

can't find variable process

However, if I require firebase/lib/firebase-web.js manually, it will show:

can't find variable document

How can I resolve this?

Answer 1

I just went through the same issue while trying to use sockets.io in my react native app so hopefully I can help.

The reason that you cannot use firebase's node module is because there hasn't been a polyfill created yet for websockets support (which firebase is dependent on) in react native.

If you take a look at issue #619 in react native's repo you'll find the current discussion on creating a websockets api polyfill.

The way that we solved it is by using Jason's modified version of the sockets library and creating our own repo around just that file. Then we added the line below to our package.json dependencies.

"react-sockets": "crewapp/react-native-sockets-io"

The reason that Jason's version of the sockets.io client file works is because react-native is added as a user agent. You can find the code that makes this change at the top of the file:

window.navigator = {
  userAgent: "react-native"
}

Once you've gone through these steps you should be able to require sockets.io / firebase as normal.

Answer 2

Just figuring it our. Pavan's answer is helpful, but it is not quite true when using with Firebase.

For firebase, please follow the steps:

1. Download the firebase-debug.js from wsExample. Or you can just install wsExample by npm and require the firebase-debug.js inside it.

2. Use badfortrains's forked React-Native:

   "react-native": "git://github.com/badfortrains/react-native#WebSocket"
   

3. New the Firebase like this:

   var firebase = require("../../firebase-debug.js");
   var rootRef = new Firebase(Const.FB_ROOT);
   

Things should just work now!