Get Started with React Native (Fire Tablets)

Amazon Fire Tablets support React Native, which is an open-source mobile application development framework that leverages the React web development framework.

You can use React Native to build a Fire Tablet app just as you might build a Fire TV app. They both require the same runtime environment and packages.

For new React Native apps, you can use Expo, which is a popular suite of open-source developer tools and services for building and deploying React Native apps. For more details on how to use Expo, see Build Expo apps for TV.

Prerequisites
- Configure Android Studio
Build your Fire Tablet app
- Run your project on the Android Tablet emulator
- Run your project on a Fire Tablet device
Related topics

Prerequisites

Getting started with React Native requires the following:

Node.js: Use Node.js as the JavaScript runtime environment.
npm or Yarn: Install these package managers for JavaScript.
Android Studio: Use Android Studio as the IDE to compile and run your Fire OS apps locally.

Configure Android Studio

You must configure Android Studio and its command line tools.

To configure Android Studio

Set your ANDROID_HOME environment variable. For OS specific instructions, see How to set environment variables.
Install the Android Tablet emulator from the Virtual Device Manager.

Build your Fire Tablet app

To build apps for Fire Tablet with React Native, you must create a new project with the expo package installed.

To create a new project

At the command prompt, create a new React Native project with the expo package installed.
```
npx create-expo-app FireTabletDemo --template blank
```

Run your project on the Android Tablet emulator

You can launch and run your project on the Android Tablet emulator.

To run your project on the tablet emulator

At the command prompt, list the available Android Virtual Devices (AVD).
```
emulator -list-avds
```

Launch the Android Tablet emulator.

emulator -avd <name-of-your-tablet-emulator>

Navigate to the project directory.
```
cd FireTabletDemo
```
Run the app using npx.
```
npx expo start -a
```

Your app is running on the avd emulator using a local development server and Expo Go. You don't have to create the Android build.

Run your project on a Fire Tablet device

In order to run your project on a Fire Tablet device, you must first connect your tablet using adb.

To run your project on a Fire Tablet device

Connect your Fire Tablet. For instructions, see Connect to Fire Tablet through ADB (Fire Tablets).
Check that your device is connected using adb.
```
adb devices -l
```
A list of attached devices is returned.
Navigate to the project directory.
```
cd FireTabletDemo
```
Run a development build on your target device (for example, -d KFTRWI).
```
cd FireTabletDemo
npx expo run:android -d <deviceName>
```

You have the development build installed on your device within the android directory. You can verify that your Android builds are optimized for tablets by checking that your app is using the Android leanback features in the Android manifest file.

Last updated: Jul 22, 2025