How to change React Native Android project name

Question

I need to change the name of my React Native Android project. I changed my app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" package="com.[new name here]">

but when I try to build a release apk I get the following error

:app:compileReleaseJavaWithJavac
/Users/harrymoreno/programming/contactsPro/android/app/src/main/java/com/contactspro/MainActivity.java:34: error: cannot find symbol
            .setUseDeveloperSupport(BuildConfig.DEBUG)
                                    ^
  symbol:   variable BuildConfig
  location: class MainActivity
1 error
:app:compileReleaseJavaWithJavac FAILED

Answer 1

I solved this by searching through the entire project for instances of the old project name using ripgrep and replacing the string in some places (don't try the files listing strings). At least 4 files need to be edited in order to change app name.

• android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
• android/app/src/main/PATH/TO/JAVA/FILES/MainActivity.java
• android/app/src/main/PATH/TO/JAVA/FILES/MainApplication.java
• /android/app/build.gradle

for example in /android/app/build.gradle

android {
 buildToolsVersion "23.0.1"

 defaultConfig {
     applicationId "com.[change name]"
     minSdkVersion 16
     targetSdkVersion 22
     versionCode 2

/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
 package="com.[change name]">

/android/app/src/main/java/com/contactspro/MainActivity.java

package com.[change name];