Metamask: react native with expo not working with metamask sdk
Metamask Integration Issues in React Native Expo Project
As a React Native developer using Expo, you are probably familiar with the convenience of integrating external SDKs for authentication and payment processing. However, when working with Metamask (formerly known as MetaMask), the integration has become increasingly complicated due to changes in its SDK.
In this article, we will explore the issues encountered when trying to integrate Metamask with a React Native Expo project, despite having successfully created it using CLI tools.
The Problem:
When you initially set up your Expo project using the create-react-native-app command with CLI (command line interface) tools, everything seemed fine. However, after upgrading to Expo 0.18.1 or later and attempting to integrate the Metamask SDK, the integration did not work as expected.
The Problem:
Unfortunately, it seems that the Metamask SDK is not compatible with Expo 0.18.1 or later. The reasons behind this are not explicitly stated in the Metamask documentation, but we can deduce a few potential causes:
- New Expo dependency management: Expo has shifted its focus to a more explicit module system (MVS) for managing dependencies. This change may have caused compatibility issues with older SDKs like Metamask.
- Changes to the Metamask SDK: The Metamask SDK may have undergone major updates, which broke the integration with Expo.
Workarounds:
Given the challenges encountered above, here are some potential solutions to try:
1. Roll back to an older version of Metamask
Try to roll back to an older version of the Metamask SDK from the latest release (e.g. v2.8.x) to an older version that was compatible with Expo in earlier versions.
npm install @metamask/sdk@v1.10.0
2. Use an older version of Expo
If you are unable to downgrade your Metamask SDK, try creating a new Expo project using an older version of the create-react-native-app command (e.g. Expo 0.17.1 or older).
npx react-native init MyApp --version 0.16.3
3. Use an older version of Metamask
If you are unable to create a new Expo project, try using the older @metamask/sdk package.
npm install @metamask/sdk@v1.7.2
4. Disable authentication in your React Native app
Try disabling authentication in your React Native app to see if the Metamask integration works as expected.
import { initializeWeb3 } from '@metamask/sdk';
const web3 = initializeWeb3({
// Disable authentication for this app
});
Conclusion:
In conclusion, integrating Metamask with a React Native Expo project can be challenging due to compatibility issues with the latest version of Expo. If you try to downgrade or use an older version of the Metamask SDK, you may be able to resolve the integration issue.
If none of these workarounds resolve your issue, please provide more details about your project’s configuration and code, including:
- The version of Metamask SDK you are using
- The version of Expo you are using
- Any error messages or stack traces you see
This will help us better understand the issue and provide a more accurate solution.
