README_V1.md

About this library

This is React Native Bluetooth Low Energy library using RxBluetoothKit and RxAndroidBle under the hood.

It supports:

• observing device's Bluetooth adapter state
• scanning BLE devices
• making connections to peripherals
• discovering services/characteristics
• reading/writing characteristics
• observing characteristic notifications/indications
• reading RSSI
• negotiating MTU
• background mode on iOS
• turning the device's Bluetooth adapter on

What this library does NOT support:

• communicating between phones using BLE (Peripheral support)
• bonding peripherals

Compatibility

React Native	1.0.3	1.1.0
0.60.5	✅2	✅2
0.59.10	✅	✅
0.58.6	✅	✅
0.57.8	✅	✅
0.56.1	💥1	💥1
0.55.4	💥1	💥1

¹ fails on Android, although might work after updating gradle

² may require usage of jetifier on Android and migration to CocoaPods on iOS.

Recent Changes

1.1.1

• Update development dependencies
• Add more information to the README and INTRO file.
• Remove const from enum types in the typescript definition file.
• Add backpressure buffer for notifications.

All previous changes

Documentation & Support

Interested in React Native project involving Bluetooth Low Energy? We can help you!

Learn more about Polidea's React Native services.

Learn more about Polidea's BLE services.

Documentation can be found here.

Contact us at Polidea.

Contact us at Gitter if you have any questions, feedback or want to help!

Configuration & Installation

iOS (expo/Podfile and RN 0.60+, example setup)

1. Make sure your Expo project is ejected (formerly: detached). You can read how to do it here and here. (only for expo)
2. npm install --save react-native-ble-plx
3. react-native link react-native-ble-plx
4. Open Xcode workspace located inside ios folder and add empty Swift file if you don't have at least one:
   • Select File/New/File...
   • Choose Swift file and click Next.
   • Name it however you want, select your application target and create it.
   • Accept to create Objective-C bridging header.
5. Update your ios/Podfile to contain:

   pod 'react-native-ble-plx', :path => '../node_modules/react-native-ble-plx'
   

6. Enter ios folder and run pod update
7. Minimal supported version of iOS is 8.0
8. If you want to support background mode:
   • In your application target go to Capabilities tab and enable Uses Bluetooth LE Accessories in Background Modes section.
   • Pass restoreStateIdentifier and restoreStateFunction to BleManager constructor.
9. Starting from iOS 13 add NSBluetoothAlwaysUsageDescription in info.plist file.

iOS (react-native < 0.60, example setup)

1. npm install --save react-native-ble-plx

2. react-native link react-native-ble-plx

3. Open Xcode project located inside ios folder and add empty Swift file if you don't have at least one:

   • Select File/New/File...
   • Choose Swift file and click Next.
   • Name it however you want, select your targets and create it.
   • Accept to create Objective-C bridging header.

4. Minimal supported version of iOS is 8.0

5. If you want to support background mode:

   • In your application target go to Capabilities tab and enable Uses Bluetooth LE Accessories in Background Modes section.
   • Pass restoreStateIdentifier and restoreStateFunction to BleManager constructor.

6. Starting from iOS 13 add NSBluetoothAlwaysUsageDescription in info.plist file.

Android (example setup)

1. npm install --save react-native-ble-plx
2. react-native link react-native-ble-plx
3. In build.gradle of app module make sure that min SDK version is at least 18:

android {
    ...
    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion 18
        ...

4. In build.gradle of app module make sure to add jitpack repository to known repositories:

allprojects {
    repositories {
      ...
      maven { url 'https://jitpack.io' }
    }
}

5. In AndroidManifest.xml, add Bluetooth permissions and update <uses-sdk/>:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    ...
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN"/>
    <uses-permission-sdk-23 android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"/>

    <!-- Add this line if your application always requires BLE. More info can be found on:
         https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/bluetooth-le.html#permissions
      -->
    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.bluetooth_le" android:required="true"/>

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="18"
        ...

6. If you are using AndroidX, then for the time being you need to convert import statements in the Android library with jetifier. These steps apply for all react-native packages, which are during the transition period:

• npm install --save-dev jetifier
• Run jetify script after npm install. You can do it by adding "postinstall" script to the package.json file:

   ...
   "postinstall": "npx jetify",
   ...

Troubleshooting

Problems with Proguard

Add this to your app/proguard-rules.pro

-dontwarn com.polidea.reactnativeble.**