React Native Release Track

Detect at runtime whether your React-Native app is running in:

• SIMULATOR – iOS Simulator / Android Emulator
• TESTFLIGHT – TestFlight build on iOS, or any non-Play-Store / pre-release build on Android
• PRODUCTION – Production release from the App Store / Play Store
• UNKNOWN – Indeterminate state when detection isn't yet possible (very early app init)

The library exposes a constant and a function so you can branch logic or surface UI messages without shipping separate builds.

Installation

# with npm
yarn add react-native-release-track
# or
yarn add react-native-release-track
# if you use Expo managed workflow
npx expo install react-native-release-track

This is an Expo Modules–style package. If you are on bare React-Native the native code is automatically linked via pod install (iOS) and Gradle (Android).

Usage

import ReleaseTrack, { Environment } from 'react-native-release-track';

// 1. constant (preferred – synchronous)
console.log(ReleaseTrack.environment);   // Environment.SIMULATOR | Environment.TESTFLIGHT | Environment.PRODUCTION | Environment.UNKNOWN

// 2. function (identical value, but callable later)
const env: Environment = ReleaseTrack.getEnvironment();

if (env === Environment.TESTFLIGHT) {
  // ...
}

Safe-guarding for Web

When bundling with react-native-web the module resolves to null. Guard your calls accordingly:

if (ReleaseTrack && ReleaseTrack.environment === 'TESTFLIGHT') {
  // …
}

iOS implementation

| Situation | Value returned | |------------------|----------------| | Simulator | SIMULATOR | | TestFlight (sandbox receipt) | TESTFLIGHT | | App Store build | PRODUCTION | | Early init (context unavailable) | UNKNOWN |

Logic lives in detectEnvironment() inside the Swift module and relies on:

• #if targetEnvironment(simulator)
• Bundle.main.appStoreReceiptURL?.lastPathComponent == "sandboxReceipt"

No extra configuration required.

Android implementation & nuances

Android doesn't expose which Play track (internal, alpha, beta) the app came from. We therefore use a pragmatic hierarchy:

1. Override via manifest – you can explicitly mark a build as test by adding:

   <!-- AndroidManifest.xml -->
   <application …>
     <meta-data
         android:name="com.reactnativereleasetrack.track"
         android:value="test"/>
   </application>

   You can inject this only in your internal, alpha, or beta productFlavors so production stays clean.

2. Emulator detection – Build fingerprint contains generic/emulator → SIMULATOR.

3. Installer package – If the app wasn't installed from the official Play Store (com.android.vending) it's considered TESTFLIGHT (covers sideloads, alternative stores, etc.).

4. Fallback → UNKNOWN (very early init) otherwise PRODUCTION.

Note: Because Google keeps track membership on its servers, Play Store internal/alpha/beta installs cannot be distinguished from production at runtime – you must use the manifest override (or another build-time flag) if you need that distinction.

API reference

| Member | Type | Platform | Description | |-----------------------|-----------|----------|-------------| | environment | Environment | native | Synchronous constant. Runtime environment enum. May be UNKNOWN very early. | | getEnvironment() | () => Environment | native | Same value, callable any time. |

On Web the default export is null and therefore none of the members exist.

Example app

A minimal Expo example is in the example/ folder. It prints the detected environment:

import ReleaseTrack, { Environment } from 'react-native-release-track';
import { Text } from 'react-native';

export default function App() {
  return <Text>{ReleaseTrack?.environment}</Text>;
}

Contributing / Issues

Found a bug or have an improvement? Please open an issue or PR.

1. Clone repo & install deps: pnpm install / yarn.
2. Run the example app via expo run:ios or run:android.
3. Submit PR targeting main.

License

MIT © 2025 Jason Safaiyeh