How can I generate an apk that can run without server with react-native?

Question

I've built my app, I can run it on my local emulator (and also on my android device within the same network by changing debug server).

However, I want to build an APK that I can send to someone without access to the development server and I want them to be able to test application.

I see there is a section Using offline bundle on iOS section of the documentation. But I couldn't figure out how to accomplish the same for android. Is this possible? If so, how?

UPDATE: On the answer to this question (Android failed to load JS bundle) it is said that offline bundle can be downloaded from development server. But when I obtain the bundle from development server the image files can't be loaded.

Answer 1

Following Aditya Singh's answer the generated (unsigned) apk would not install on my phone. I had to generate a signed apk using the instructions here.

The following worked for me:

$ keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.keystore -alias my-key-alias -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

Place the my-release-key.keystore file under the android/app directory in your project folder. Then edit the file ~/.gradle/gradle.properties and add the following (replace **** with the correct keystore password, alias and key password)

MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_FILE=my-release-key.keystore
MYAPP_RELEASE_KEY_ALIAS=my-key-alias
MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_PASSWORD=****
MYAPP_RELEASE_KEY_PASSWORD=****

If you're using MacOS, you can store your password in the keychain using the instructions here instead of storing it in plaintext.

Then edit app/build.gradle and ensure the following are there (the sections with signingConfigs signingConfig may need to be added) :

...
android {
    ...
    defaultConfig { ... }
    signingConfigs {
        release {
            if (project.hasProperty('MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_FILE')) {
                storeFile file(MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_FILE)
                storePassword MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_PASSWORD
                keyAlias MYAPP_RELEASE_KEY_ALIAS
                keyPassword MYAPP_RELEASE_KEY_PASSWORD
            }
        }
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            ...
            signingConfig signingConfigs.release
        }
    }
}
...

Then run the command cd android && ./gradlew assembleRelease ,

For Windows 'cd android' and then run gradlew assembleRelease command , and find your signed apk under android/app/build/outputs/apk/app-release.apk