React Native Nitro Ark Module

This directory contains the React Native module that bridges your React Native application with the underlying Rust Ark project by Second, facilitated by the C++ FFI layer in bark-cpp. It leverages React Native NitroModules for efficient communication between JavaScript/TypeScript and native C++ code.

Installing the react-native-nitro-ark module

• To install the react-native-nitro-ark module, run the following command in your React Native project directory:
• For all methods and type definitions refer to the react-native-nitro-ark/src/index.tsx file.

npm install react-native-nitro-ark react-native-nitro-modules
# or
yarn add react-native-nitro-ark react-native-nitro-modules

• Download the Android binary and put it inside node_modules/react-native-nitro-ark/android/src/main/jniLibs/arm64-v8a.
• Download the iOS binary, unzip it and put it inside node_modules/react-native-nitro-ark/Ark.xcframework.

Purpose

The primary goal of this module is to expose the rust functions of the "Ark" Rust project to your React Native application. It provides:

1. A TypeScript API (src/) for easy consumption from your React Native JavaScript/TypeScript code.
2. Native C++ implementations (cpp/) that utilize the bark-cpp FFI to call into the Rust core logic.

This allows you to write high-performance core logic in Rust and seamlessly integrate it into your cross-platform React Native application.

Directory Structure

• bark-cpp/: Contains the C++ FFI code that directly interfaces with the Rust "Ark" project. This code is compiled into a static library for Android and iOS.
• react-native-nitro-ark/cpp/: Contains the C++ code specific to this React Native Nitro module. This code:
  • Includes the necessary headers from React Native Nitro.
  • Links against the static library produced by bark-cpp.
  • Implements the native methods that are exposed to the TypeScript side.
  • Calls the functions provided by the bark-cpp FFI layer.
• react-native-nitro-ark/react-native/src/: Contains the TypeScript/JavaScript code that defines the public API of this module. This is what your React Native application will import and use. It makes calls to the native C++ methods defined in the cpp/ directory via the React Native Nitro bridge.
• react-native-nitro-ark/example/: Contains an example React Native application that demonstrates how to use the react-native-nitro-ark module. This directory includes the necessary files to set up a React Native project and showcases the usage of the TypeScript API.

How it Works

The interaction flow is generally as follows:

1. React Native App (JS/TS): Your application code imports and calls functions from the TypeScript API exposed in react-native-nitro-ark/src/.
2. TypeScript API (react-native-nitro-ark/src/): These TypeScript functions act as a wrapper. They use React Native Nitro's mechanisms to invoke corresponding native C++ methods.
3. React Native Nitro Bridge: Nitro efficiently marshals data and forwards the call from JavaScript to the native C++ environment.
4. Nitro C++ Module (react-native-nitro-ark/cpp/): The C++ methods implemented here receive the call.
5. FFI Call: This C++ code then calls the relevant functions exposed by the bark-cpp FFI layer. These bark-cpp functions are available because the static library produced from bark-cpp is linked into the application.
6. Bark C++ FFI (react-native-nitro-ark/bark-cpp/): This layer translates the C++ call into a call to the Rust "Ark" project's compiled code.

Building and Integration

• The bark-cpp code needs to be compiled into static libraries for each target platform (iOS and Android).
• This React Native module (react-native-nitro-ark) then links against these precompiled static libraries.
• Ensure that your main application's build system (Xcode for iOS, Gradle for Android) is configured to:
  • Compile and link the C++ code in react-native-nitro-ark/cpp/.
  • Link the static libraries from bark-cpp.
  • Integrate the React Native Nitro module correctly.

Refer to the React Native Nitro documentation and the specific build configurations within the ios/ and android/ directories for detailed integration steps.

Dependencies

• Rust
• React Native
• The compiled static libraries from bark-cpp.