ios/Podfile documentation?

[russmenum]

Long story short i have a legacy EXPO Eject/Bearworkflow app

It it up to EXPO 54 / RN 81

but based on the doc I can find pod install wont run right if @react-native-firebase/app is here

My main conflict ios/Podfile

  # rest of file
  use_frameworks! :linkage => podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks'].to_sym if podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks']
  use_frameworks! :linkage => ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS'].to_sym if ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS']

  # patch firebase conflicts?
  # use_frameworks! :linkage => :static
  $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true

  use_react_native!(
  # rest of file

use_frameworks! :linkage => :static brakes

[Expo] Disabling USE_FRAMEWORKS for modules ExpoModulesCore, Expo, ReactAppDependencyProvider, expo-dev-menu

but not having use_frameworks! :linkage => :static with $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true brakes @react-native-firebase/app

[!] The following Swift pods cannot yet be integrated as static libraries:

The Swift pod `FirebaseCoreInternal` depends upon `GoogleUtilities`, which does not define modules. To opt into those targets generating module maps (which is necessary to import them from Swift when building as static libraries), you may set `use_modular_headers!` globally in your Podfile, or specify `:modular_headers => true` for particular dependencies.

and leaving it to run without $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true same

If I add pod 'GoogleUtilities', :modular_headers => true it will compleete pod install but app wont run/build

npm run ios

AKA

"ios": "react-native run-ios --simulator='iPhone 17' ",

results in many errors

error export CLANG_WARN_DOCUMENTATION_COMMENTS\=YES
error export CLANG_WARN_QUOTED_INCLUDE_IN_FRAMEWORK_HEADER\=NO
error export GCC_WARN_INHIBIT_ALL_WARNINGS\=YES
error export VALIDATE_PRODUCT\=NO
error export GCC_WARN_UNDECLARED_SELECTOR\=YES
error \=non-modular-include-in-framework-module -Wno-trigraphs -Wno-missing-field-initializers -Wno-missing-prototypes -Werror\=return-type...
### MANY CASES OF THIS ABOVE ONE
error export CLANG_WARN_EMPTY_BODY\=YES
error redefinition of module 'Firebase'
error could not build Objective-C module 'Expo'
node:internal/process/promises:392
      new UnhandledPromiseRejection(reason);

UnhandledPromiseRejection: This error originated either by throwing inside of an async function without a catch block, or by rejecting a promise which was not handled with .catch(). The promise rejected with the reason "Error: Failed to build ios project. "xcodebuild" exited with error code '65'. To debug build logs further, consider building your app with Xcode.app, by opening 'frdrivertrackapp.xcworkspace'.".
    at throwUnhandledRejectionsMode (node:internal/process/promises:392:7)
    at processPromiseRejections (node:internal/process/promises:475:17)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:106:37) {
  code: 'ERR_UNHANDLED_REJECTION'
}

adding

  pod 'FirebaseCoreInternal', :modular_headers => true

as brought up years ago here, same thing

I have gone round and round on this all week, everything I can find points back to the same DO NO WORK.

If you do not run pod install it is not regisitered right, if you do it breaks pod install untill the app is unrunable to get pod to work.

Doc says the dynamic swift google wants us to use now instead of the pods is supported, but it keeps trying to fall back to the pods?

Any one know what needs to be added to the pod file for this libary to work with iOS? But not break everything else, also? I also need @react-native-firebase/messaging" as the reason adding is for PUSH notification

[MatheusBomtempo]

Haven't reproduced this, so take it as pointers from the docs, not a confirmed fix.

Looks like Firebase is getting linked in two different ways at once (the redefinition of module 'Firebase' error hints at that). Newer RNFB versions pull the iOS SDK via Swift Package Manager by default, and your Podfile is half doing the old pods + static frameworks thing.

Two options:

1. Go with the default (SPM): drop the $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework line and the manual modular_headers pods (GoogleUtilities, FirebaseCoreInternal), make sure app and messaging are on the same version, then nuke ios/Pods, Podfile.lock and DerivedData and run pod install again.
2. Stay on pods + static: per the docs, put $RNFirebaseDisableSPM = true before any target block, and inside your target before use_react_native!:

   use_frameworks! :linkage => :static
   $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true

That [Expo] Disabling USE_FRAMEWORKS... line is just an info message, I think. The real error is further down in the xcodebuild output. If it still breaks, share your RNFB version and the first actual error: line.

[russmenum]

error when I run pod install

Generating Pods project
[!] [react-native-firebase] SPM + static linkage is not supported (target(s): Pods-frdrivertrackapp).

firebase-ios-sdk's Swift Package products are automatic libraries (not `type: .dynamic`), so each react-native-firebase pod that resolves Firebase via SPM embeds its own copy. With `use_frameworks! :linkage => :static` those copies collide at link time as duplicate-symbol errors.

Fix one of the following in your Podfile, then run `pod install` again:
  - Use dynamic linkage: `use_frameworks! :linkage => :dynamic`
  - Opt out of SPM: set `$RNFirebaseDisableSPM = true` before any target block, then use the static or dynamic linkage your project requires.

Which is why I have been trying all this.

As asked deleted ios/Pods and Podfile.lock

trying to use

"@react-native-firebase/app": "^26.4.0",
"@react-native-firebase/messaging": "^26.4.0",

As like you say v26 is supposed to use the Swift Google wants used... but it keeps insisting on this BOTH

[russmenum]

For reference the podfile

require File.join(File.dirname(`node --print "require.resolve('expo/package.json')"`), "scripts/autolinking")
require File.join(File.dirname(`node --print "require.resolve('react-native/package.json')"`), "scripts/react_native_pods")

require 'json'
podfile_properties = JSON.parse(File.read('./Podfile.properties.json')) rescue {}

def ccache_enabled?(podfile_properties)
  # Environment variable takes precedence
  return ENV['USE_CCACHE'] == '1' if ENV['USE_CCACHE']
  
  # Fall back to Podfile properties
  podfile_properties['apple.ccacheEnabled'] == 'true'
end
 
ENV['RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED'] ||= '0' if podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] == 'false'
ENV['EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR'] ||= podfile_properties['EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR']
ENV['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'] ||= '1' if podfile_properties['ios.buildReactNativeFromSource'] != 'true' && podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] != 'false'
ENV['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'] ||= '1' if podfile_properties['ios.buildReactNativeFromSource'] != 'true' && podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] != 'false'
platform :ios, podfile_properties['ios.deploymentTarget'] || '15.1'
  
prepare_react_native_project!

target 'frdrivertrackapp' do
  use_expo_modules!
  
  if ENV['EXPO_USE_COMMUNITY_AUTOLINKING'] == '1'
    config_command = ['node', '-e', "process.argv=['', '', 'config'];require('@react-native-community/cli').run()"];
  else
    config_command = [
      'node',
      '--no-warnings',
      '--eval',
      'require(\'expo/bin/autolinking\')','expo-modules-autolinking',
      'react-native-config',
      '--json',
      '--platform',
      'ios'
    ]
  end
 
  config = use_native_modules!(config_command)

  use_frameworks! :linkage => podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks'].to_sym if podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks']
  use_frameworks! :linkage => ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS'].to_sym if ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS']

  use_react_native!(
    :path => config[:reactNativePath],
    :hermes_enabled => podfile_properties['expo.jsEngine'] == nil || podfile_properties['expo.jsEngine'] == 'hermes',
    # An absolute path to your application root.
    :app_path => "#{Pod::Config.instance.installation_root}/..",
    :privacy_file_aggregation_enabled => podfile_properties['apple.privacyManifestAggregationEnabled'] != 'false',
  )

  permissions_path = '../node_modules/react-native-permissions/ios'
  pod 'Permission-LocationAlways', :path => "#{permissions_path}/LocationAlways"
  # pod 'Permission-Camera', :path => "#{permissions_path}/Camera"

  # MAY NEED TO RE ADD BY LINK
  pod 'TextToSpeech', :path => '../node_modules/react-native-tts'

  # ADDED 42 > 43
  post_install do |installer|
    react_native_post_install(
      installer,
      config[:reactNativePath],
      :mac_catalyst_enabled => false,
      :ccache_enabled => ccache_enabled?(podfile_properties),
    )
 
  end
end

at one point I tried use_frameworks! :linkage => :dynamic but that broke other libraries

I have also tried "@react-native-firebase/app": "~23.5.0", and only that to go one step at a time, as that is what EXPO would use for SDK 54, but... it is just round and round wanting both static and dynamic

[madhav669]

Which setup is right depends on your @react-native-firebase/* version. The error you're getting (FirebaseCoreInternal depends upon GoogleUtilities, which does not define modules) means Firebase is being resolved through CocoaPods. Recent RNFB versions don't do that by default any more.

• RNFB ≥ 26.1: the Firebase iOS SDK comes from Swift Package Manager, and SPM mode needs dynamic frameworks. use_frameworks! :linkage => :static, or no use_frameworks! line at all (the Expo default), doesn't work. On 26.4.0 pod install stops with SPM + static linkage is not supported. See the iOS SPM docs.
• RNFB 27 (released Oct 19) is SPM-only. $RNFirebaseDisableSPM / CocoaPods mode is gone, because Firebase 13 isn't published to CocoaPods anymore.
• ≤ 25.x: CocoaPods only, with use_frameworks! :linkage => :static + $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true.

Note that RNFB 26+ requires the New Architecture. SDK 54 has it on by default, but check newArchEnabled in ios/Podfile.properties.json if this app has been around a while.

What I'd do (RNFB 26.x on SDK 54)

Your Podfile already reads the linkage from Podfile.properties.json (that's the podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks'] line), so you don't need to edit the Podfile itself:

1. Make every @react-native-firebase/* package the same version, e.g. npm i @react-native-firebase/app@26.4.0 @react-native-firebase/messaging@26.4.0. Mismatched versions are a common source of mixed SPM/CocoaPods setups.

2. In ios/Podfile, remove everything you added while fighting this:

   • $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true
   • pod 'GoogleUtilities', :modular_headers => true
   • pod 'FirebaseCoreInternal', :modular_headers => true
   • any use_modular_headers!

   The manual Firebase pods are what's behind redefinition of module 'Firebase'. You end up with Firebase from both CocoaPods and the RNFB pods, i.e. two copies of the same module.

3. In ios/Podfile.properties.json add:

   "ios.useFrameworks": "dynamic"

4. Clean and reinstall:

   cd ios
   rm -rf Pods Podfile.lock build ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/<YourApp>-*
   pod install

   You should see [react-native-firebase] RNFBApp: Using SPM for Firebase dependency resolution ... in the output. If you see Firebase pods being installed instead, something is still forcing CocoaPods mode: an old RNFB version, a leftover $RNFirebaseDisableSPM, or a manual pod 'Firebase/...'.

I tried exactly this on a fresh SDK 54 project (expo@54.0.36, RN 0.81.5, @react-native-firebase/app + messaging 26.4.0, New Arch on), using the same prebuild-generated Podfile as yours:

• No ios.useFrameworks: pod install fails with SPM + static linkage is not supported.
• "ios.useFrameworks": "dynamic": pod install succeeds and picks SPM, and xcodebuild for the simulator gives BUILD SUCCEEDED. FirebaseCore, FirebaseCoreInternal, RNFBApp and RNFBMessaging all end up as embedded frameworks in the .app.

(I didn't launch it on a device, so add your GoogleService-Info.plist and set up push as usual.)

If you have to stay on RNFB ≤ 25 (CocoaPods + static)

I'd avoid this on SDK 54. I tried it on the same project with RNFB 25.1.0, "ios.useFrameworks": "static" and $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true. pod install works, but the build fails with include of non-modular header inside framework module 'RNFBApp.RCTConvert_FIRApp' (and the same for the other RNFB headers). That happens because SDK 54 uses a precompiled React Native core by default, and static frameworks don't get along with it. The usual way around that is to also set "ios.buildReactNativeFromSource": "true" in Podfile.properties.json. I couldn't confirm it fixes the build on my setup, though, because building RN 0.81 from source hit an unrelated fmt compile error with my Xcode version. Going to 26.x + dynamic is the path I actually got building.

About [Expo] Disabling USE_FRAMEWORKS for modules ExpoModulesCore, Expo, ReactAppDependencyProvider, expo-dev-menu: that's informational. Expo deliberately builds those few pods as static libraries even when frameworks are on. It isn't the failure. When xcodebuild exits with code 65, the real error is the first error: line in the Xcode log, not the export CLANG_... lines the RN CLI prints.

For push specifically, once it builds: enable the Push Notifications capability and Background Modes → Remote notifications in Xcode, upload your APNs key in the Firebase console, and see the messaging iOS setup.

[russmenum]

@madhav669

Unfortunately, dynamic breaks other things in this app

At the moment, trying with

"@react-native-firebase/app": "^26.4.0",
"@react-native-firebase/messaging": "^26.4.0",

Some how with all the purge redo from scratch last go around was able to do an install > but not a successful app launch

to ios/Podfile added:

$RNFirebaseDisableSPM = true

to ios/Podfile.properties.json added:

"ios.useFrameworks": "static"

pod install was happy, but in ios/frdrivertrackapp/AppDelegate.swift

FirebaseApp.configure()

crashes the app

FirebaseCore is claiming no GoogleService-Info.plist but there is a ios/GoogleService-Info.plist, and I am unsure if there is some true link pointer issue, or it is just more if the did not install right...

But based on your post is $RNFirebaseDisableSPM = true no longer actually something that can be used? It is a round and round, with out

"ios.useFrameworks": "static"

app wont work

with out

"ios.useFrameworks": "dynamic"

this wont work