build(example): upgrade example app from React Native 0.74 to 0.81 (#408)

Upgrade the example app to React Native 0.81.1 to support modern Gradle
(9.0.0) and compileSdk 36, which are required for the upcoming Intercom
Android SDK 18.0.0 upgrade.

Key changes:
- React 18 → 19, React Native 0.74 → 0.81.1
- Convert MainActivity and MainApplication from Java to Kotlin
- Adopt RN 0.81 Gradle autolinking pattern (settings.gradle)
- Enable Hermes JS engine, remove Flipper
- Gradle 8.7 → 9.0.0, versionless AGP, Kotlin 2.1.20, NDK 27
- Update iOS Podfile to RN 0.81 conventions with fmt Xcode 26 workaround
- minSdkVersion 23 → 24 (required by RN 0.81)

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: imSzukala

examples/example/android/app/build.gradle

@@ -13,14 +13,14 @@ def isFoss = taskRequests.contains("foss")
  */
 react {
   /* Folders */
-  //   The root of your project, i.e. where "package.json" lives. Default is '..'
-  // root = file("../")
-  //   The folder where the react-native NPM package is. Default is ../node_modules/react-native
-  // reactNativeDir = file("../node_modules/react-native")
-  //   The folder where the react-native Codegen package is. Default is ../node_modules/@react-native/codegen
-  // codegenDir = file("../node_modules/@react-native/codegen")
-  //   The cli.js file which is the React Native CLI entrypoint. Default is ../node_modules/react-native/cli.js
-  // cliFile = file("../node_modules/react-native/cli.js")
+  //   The root of your project, i.e. where "package.json" lives. Default is '../..'
+  // root = file("../../")
+  //   The folder where the react-native NPM package is. Default is ../../node_modules/react-native
+  // reactNativeDir = file("../../node_modules/react-native")
+  //   The folder where the react-native Codegen package is. Default is ../../node_modules/@react-native/codegen
+  // codegenDir = file("../../node_modules/@react-native/codegen")
+  //   The cli.js file which is the React Native CLI entrypoint. Default is ../../node_modules/react-native/cli.js
+  // cliFile = file("../../node_modules/react-native/cli.js")
 
   /* Variants */
   //   The list of variants to that are debuggable. For those we're going to
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ react {
   //
   //   The list of flags to pass to the Hermes compiler. By default is "-O", "-output-source-map"
   // hermesFlags = ["-O", "-output-source-map"]
+
+  /* Autolinking */
+  autolinkLibrariesWithApp()
 }
 
 /**
@@ -65,14 +68,14 @@ def enableProguardInReleaseBuilds = false
  * The preferred build flavor of JavaScriptCore (JSC)
  *
  * For example, to use the international variant, you can use:
- * `def jscFlavor = 'org.webkit:android-jsc-intl:+'`
+ * `def jscFlavor = io.github.react-native-community:jsc-android-intl:2026004.+`
  *
  * The international variant includes ICU i18n library and necessary data
  * allowing to use e.g. `Date.toLocaleString` and `String.localeCompare` that
  * give correct results when using with locales other than en-US. Note that
  * this variant is about 6MiB larger per architecture than default.
  */
-def jscFlavor = 'org.webkit:android-jsc:+'
+def jscFlavor = 'io.github.react-native-community:jsc-android:2026004.+'
 
 android {
   ndkVersion rootProject.ext.ndkVersion
@@ -113,8 +116,6 @@ android {
 dependencies {
   // The version of react-native is set by the React Native Gradle Plugin
   implementation("com.facebook.react:react-android")
-  //implementation("com.facebook.react:flipper-integration")
-
 
   implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging:20.2.+'
 
@@ -126,5 +127,3 @@ dependencies {
 
   implementation project(':intercomreactnative')
 }
-
-apply from: file("../../node_modules/@react-native-community/cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle"); applyNativeModulesAppBuildGradle(project)

examples/example/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-  xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
-  package="com.example.intercomreactnative">
+  xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
 
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
 

examples/example/android/app/src/main/java/com/example/intercomreactnative/MainActivity.java

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package com.example.intercomreactnative
+
+import android.os.Bundle
+import android.content.Intent
+
+import com.facebook.react.ReactActivity
+import com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate
+import com.facebook.react.defaults.DefaultNewArchitectureEntryPoint.fabricEnabled
+import com.facebook.react.defaults.DefaultReactActivityDelegate
+
+class MainActivity : ReactActivity() {
+
+  override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
+    super.onCreate(null)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the name of the main component registered from JavaScript. This is used to schedule
+   * rendering of the component.
+   */
+  override fun getMainComponentName(): String = "IntercomReactNativeExample"
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the instance of the [ReactActivityDelegate]. We use [DefaultReactActivityDelegate]
+   * which allows you to enable New Architecture with a single boolean flags [fabricEnabled]
+   */
+  override fun createReactActivityDelegate(): ReactActivityDelegate =
+      DefaultReactActivityDelegate(this, mainComponentName, fabricEnabled)
+
+  /**
+   * This method is called when a new intent is received while the activity is running.
+   * It needs to be added if your app needs to handle deep links opened through push notifications.
+   */
+  override fun onNewIntent(intent: Intent) {
+    super.onNewIntent(intent)
+    setIntent(intent)
+  }
+}

examples/example/android/app/src/main/java/com/example/intercomreactnative/MainActivity.kt

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+package com.example.intercomreactnative
+
+import android.app.Application
+import com.facebook.react.PackageList
+import com.facebook.react.ReactApplication
+import com.facebook.react.ReactHost
+import com.facebook.react.ReactNativeApplicationEntryPoint.loadReactNative
+import com.facebook.react.ReactNativeHost
+import com.facebook.react.ReactPackage
+import com.facebook.react.defaults.DefaultReactHost.getDefaultReactHost
+import com.facebook.react.defaults.DefaultReactNativeHost
+import com.intercom.reactnative.IntercomModule
+import com.intercom.reactnative.IntercomPackage
+
+class MainApplication : Application(), ReactApplication {
+
+  override val reactNativeHost: ReactNativeHost =
+      object : DefaultReactNativeHost(this) {
+        override fun getPackages(): List<ReactPackage> =
+            PackageList(this).packages.apply {
+              // Packages that cannot be autolinked yet can be added manually here:
+              add(IntercomPackage())
+            }
+
+        override fun getJSMainModuleName(): String = "index"
+
+        override fun getUseDeveloperSupport(): Boolean = BuildConfig.DEBUG
+
+        override val isNewArchEnabled: Boolean = true
+        override val isHermesEnabled: Boolean = true
+      }
+
+  override val reactHost: ReactHost
+    get() = getDefaultReactHost(applicationContext, reactNativeHost)
+
+  override fun onCreate() {
+    super.onCreate()
+    loadReactNative(this)
+
+    val appId = BuildConfig.ANDROID_INTERCOM_APP_ID
+    val key = BuildConfig.ANDROID_INTERCOM_KEY
+    IntercomModule.initialize(this, key, appId)
+  }
+}

examples/example/android/app/src/main/java/com/example/intercomreactnative/MainApplication.java

@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 buildscript {
   ext {
-    buildToolsVersion = "35.0.0"
-    minSdkVersion = 23
-    compileSdkVersion = 35
-    targetSdkVersion = 35
-    ndkVersion = "26.1.10909125"
-    kotlinVersion = "1.9.22"
+    buildToolsVersion = "36.0.0"
+    minSdkVersion = 24
+    compileSdkVersion = 36
+    targetSdkVersion = 36
+    ndkVersion = "27.1.12297006"
+    kotlinVersion = "2.1.20"
   }
   repositories {
     google()
     mavenCentral()
   }
   dependencies {
-    classpath("com.android.tools.build:gradle:8.6.1")
+    classpath("com.android.tools.build:gradle")
     classpath("com.facebook.react:react-native-gradle-plugin")
     classpath("org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin")
   }

examples/example/android/app/src/main/java/com/example/intercomreactnative/MainApplication.kt

@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 
 # Specifies the JVM arguments used for the daemon process.
 # The setting is particularly useful for tweaking memory settings.
-# Default value: -Xmx10248m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m
-# org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -XX:MaxPermSize=512m -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
+# Default value: -Xmx512m -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=256m
+org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=512m
 
 # When configured, Gradle will run in incubating parallel mode.
 # This option should only be used with decoupled projects. More details, visit
@@ -21,26 +21,24 @@
 # Android operating system, and which are packaged with your app's APK
 # https://developer.android.com/topic/libraries/support-library/androidx-rn
 android.useAndroidX=true
-# Automatically convert third-party libraries to use AndroidX
-android.enableJetifier=true
 
 # Use this property to specify which architecture you want to build.
 # You can also override it from the CLI using
 # ./gradlew <task> -PreactNativeArchitectures=x86_64
 reactNativeArchitectures=armeabi-v7a,arm64-v8a,x86,x86_64
+
 # Use this property to enable support to the new architecture.
 # This will allow you to use TurboModules and the Fabric render in
 # your application. You should enable this flag either if you want
 # to write custom TurboModules/Fabric components OR use libraries that
 # are providing them.
 newArchEnabled=false
-FLIPPER_VERSION=0.93.0
-android.suppressUnsupportedCompileSdk=35
 
-org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m
-org.gradle.daemon=true
-org.gradle.parallel=true
-org.gradle.configureondemand=true
 # Use this property to enable or disable the Hermes JS engine.
 # If set to false, you will be using JSC instead.
-hermesEnabled=false
+hermesEnabled=true
+
+# Use this property to enable edge-to-edge display support.
+# This allows your app to draw behind system bars for an immersive UI.
+# Note: Only works with ReactActivity and should not be used with custom Activity.
+edgeToEdgeEnabled=false

examples/example/android/build.gradle

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.7-all.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-9.0.0-bin.zip
 networkTimeout=10000
 validateDistributionUrl=true
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME

examples/example/android/gradle.properties

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+pluginManagement { includeBuild("../node_modules/@react-native/gradle-plugin") }
+plugins { id("com.facebook.react.settings") }
+extensions.configure(com.facebook.react.ReactSettingsExtension){ ex -> ex.autolinkLibrariesFromCommand() }
 rootProject.name = 'IntercomReactNativeExample'
-apply from: file("../node_modules/@react-native-community/cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle"); applyNativeModulesSettingsGradle(settings)
 include ':app'
 includeBuild('../node_modules/@react-native/gradle-plugin')