How to set up Android for React-Native without Android Studio but only using the SDK tools?

Windows 10

1. Install Java SE Development Kit 8
   http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html

2. Install Android SDK Manager
   http://filehippo.com/download_android_sdk/

3. Install the options that are already selected when you open the SDK Manager
   • Android SDK Tools
   • Android SDK Platform-tools
   • Android SDK Build-tools
   • Android 8.0.0 (API 26)
   • Extras > Google USB Driver

4. Navigate to Control Panel \ System and Security \ System \ Advanced System Settings \ Environment Variables

5. For User Variables select Path and click Edit....

6. Click New and add these:
   • C:\Users\PC-NAME\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\tools
   • C:\Users\PC-NAME\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools
   • C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_144

Now to confirm that it works, open cmd and type in android, the Android SDK Manager should open up.

NOTE: I suggest using the default command prompt over a third party one such as Git Bash. With cmd, when you run commands such as npm install, you actually get a loading bar where as in Git bash, you don't get one. Some commands that work properly in cmd such as android will not be recognized by Git bash.

7. Now in the command prompt, cd to the Desktop.

8. Run these commands:
   • npm install -g create-react-native-app
   • create-react-native-app my-app
   • cd my-app/
   • npm start
   

Mac Users

Assuming you already have:

1. Java JDK 8
2. nodejs and react-native cli

Now let's download only command line tools (which is bottom of ) this link

Follow these steps wisely:

1. unzip the folder in /opt/andriod directory

2. export ANDROID_HOME=/opt/android

3. echo "export ANDROID_HOME=/opt/android" >> ~/.bashrc

4. /opt/android/tools/bin/sdkmanager "platforms;android-23" "build-tools;23.0.1" "add-ons;addon-google_apis-google-23"

You are all done.Congrats! if you made it all.Now from RN proj. folder run:

react-native run-android