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Getting started

The goal of the Fundamentals section is to get you from an empty project to a working rich text editor and to give you the mental model you need to build on your own. Let's dive in.

What is React Native Enriched HTML?​

React Native Enriched HTML is a rich text solution for React Native built by Software Mansion. It supports iOS, Android and Web.

It ships two fully native components: EnrichedTextInput, a rich text editor that styles text live as you type, and EnrichedText, a read-only display component that renders the input's output. Both speak HTML - the input produces it, the display consumes it.

Not only does this library allow you to apply basic rich text styles you know well, like bold or italic, but also provides more powerful tools like mentions, something you will learn more about in the next chapters.

Prerequisites​

The library works only with the React Native New Architecture (Fabric). It's enabled by default on recent React Native versions; if your app still runs the old architecture you'll need to switch before installing.

For the exact React Native versions we support, see Compatibility.

Installation​

Bare React Native​

Install the package:

npm install react-native-enriched-html

The library contains native code, so rebuild your app after installing. On iOS, install the pods first:

cd ios && pod install

Expo​

Install with the Expo CLI so the correct version is picked for your SDK:

npx expo install react-native-enriched-html

Then regenerate the native projects:

npx expo prebuild
note

The library needs native code, so it won't run in Expo Go. Use a development build instead.

Web​

Install the package:

npm install react-native-enriched-html

The web version should work right out of the box. Check the details in the Web Support section.

Nightly builds​

To try features before they land in a stable release, install the nightly build:

npm install react-native-enriched-html@nightly

Nightlies are published to npm automatically and may contain breaking changes.

You're set up. Next, let's build your first editor.

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