In app purchase in expo

[Swyanmitra]

Hello,

We are using Expo to create our project. In our project one important topic is in-app purchase. Could you help me
how to implement in-app purchase using expo and what are necessary steps we need to follow to implement this.

[EvanBacon]

Simply:

• create a new branch detached
• run exp detach
• do all the same stuff you would normally do
• switch back to master to add js code
• when coding in master wrap your IAP module code with the following:

import { NativeModules } from 'react-native';
const { RNIapModule } = NativeModules;
function hasIAP() {
  return !!NativeModules.RNIapModule;
}

• This way your code won't crash when calling IAP methods
• When deploying or testing IAP use the detached branch - or just skip the branches altogether and go rogue >:)

The general idea here being exp detach just surfaces a /ios & /android folder so you can use your project as a RN app.
You will still get all the functionality of a regular Expo app, just use fastlane to deploy so you don't need to use too much native stuff.
Finally, the branches are useful for updating SDK versions. If you for some reason have a problem updating, you could just detach again and add this lib once more.

[ImArtur]

The question is why would you start with Expo in the first place.

[KevinColemanInc]

@ImArtur

At least for me, Expo development environment is much easier to work with than having to create native builds. Also, having a free multi-platform push notification service with a singular interface is also super convenient.

[hyochan]

@KevinColemanInc Yes. I understand because I've been heavy expo user earlier. I really want expo to integrate the iap module. However I understand it isn't easy for expo to maintain it's environment including iap feature. Apple will reject Expo Client app in app store firstly.

[KevinColemanInc]

@dooboolab

As others have proposed, I'd be cool if it was just stubbed out for testing. I just like expo for the dev experience.

I am considering breaking it out into its own branch in git and keep the dev branch expo friendly. Once its time for deployment, I could merge in the ejected code, test it, and them deploy the app.

[EvanBacon]

@ImArtur the question is "In app purchase in expo". You can read about the pros and cons of Expo here: https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/introduction/why-not-expo

[cellis]

@EvanBacon

Hello and thanks for this writeup! I'm wondering if ( after detaching ) you're supposed to continue to build with exp, or with xcode, in the "detached" branch? Thanks!

[cellis]

@EvanBacon also, how are you testing this on iOS? Do you push a new build and then test it there or is there a way to test iaps locally before?

[edoantonioco]

If I know I will need in-app purchases at some point of the development, should I still use CRNA? or go directly to RN native from the start?

Unless of course, expo devs implements expo in-app purchase very soon.

[cellis]

@edoantonioco I’ve gotten this working with expo. I just make a page with iap buttons for purchasing items and only press those buttons when I’m testing purchases and building with Xcode. Otherwise I build with expo. Works great!

[EvanBacon]

Sorry for the delay. When you detach, you add native code and build it onto your device. You then use that build like the expo client (except only for your singular app). I would still recommend sticking with Expo. CRNA is maintained by Expo and our focus is mostly on making the libraries work in that environment. Vanilla React Native will require a lot of unneeded setup and will require that you know a lot more about the inner workings of modules.

[inglesuniversal]

Hello, now that you bring up the subject. If in app purchases is kind of "hard" to handle by Expo. What are the suggested roadmaps to monetize an App without detaching it from Expo, since for me, like many others, I make use of Expo for the fact that the overall experience is much friendlier than RN and far less complex than going native on both platforms. So, can you just use a subscription plan with PayPal or receive payments through credit cards? Is that allowed by Google and Apple to be built in, inside your Expo App by using a web view for example? Thanks.

[KevinColemanInc]

@inglesuniversal

If its worth anything, we ended up dumping expo because we got tired of waiting for issues like this to be resolved.

It definitely adds friction to testing and to supporting some features (like notifications), but at least my dev can stop telling me, "that is impossible because expo doesn't support it".