Push Notifications in React Native or Expo: Implementing Push Notifications

Push notifications are a powerful way to keep your users engaged and informed. In React Native or Expo, you have several great options to implement push notifications with ease and flexibility. Let’s explore three key libraries: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), OneSignal, and Expo Notifications.

1. Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)

Firebase Cloud Messaging is one of the most popular choices for sending push notifications. It allows you to send custom notifications to targeted users with support for both iOS and Android.

• First, add Firebase to your project:

npm install @react-native-firebase/app @react-native-firebase/messaging        

• Then, configure Firebase by adding the google-services.json for Android and GoogleService-Info.plist for iOS, following the official documentation.
• Request permissions from users and set up a listener for incoming notifications:

import messaging from '@react-native-firebase/messaging';

useEffect(() => {
  messaging().onMessage(async remoteMessage => {
    console.log('Message received!', remoteMessage);
  });
}, []);        

2. OneSignal

OneSignal is another popular library, offering a simple yet powerful interface for sending and managing notifications. Plus, its dashboard makes testing and user segmentation easy.

• Install the library:

npm install react-native-onesignal        

• Set up the app with your OneSignal App ID:

import OneSignal from 'react-native-onesignal';

useEffect(() => {
  OneSignal.setAppId('YOUR_ONESIGNAL_APP_ID');
}, []);        

3. Expo Notifications

If you're using Expo, you can take advantage of the built-in Expo Notifications library. It’s extremely easy to set up and provides full push notification support without having to eject the app.

• Install the package:

expo install expo-notifications        

• Then, request permissions and register for a push notification token:

import * as Notifications from 'expo-notifications';

useEffect(() => {
  async function registerForPushNotificationsAsync() {
    const { status } = await Notifications.getPermissionsAsync();
    if (status !== 'granted') {
      await Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync();
    }
    const token = (await Notifications.getExpoPushTokenAsync()).data;
    console.log(token);
  }

  registerForPushNotificationsAsync();
}, []);        

Conclusion

Each of these libraries offers a different approach to implementing push notifications. Firebase is robust and flexible, OneSignal is user-friendly with an intuitive interface, and Expo Notifications is perfect for Expo developers who want a ready-to-use solution. The best choice depends on your project and your app's needs.

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