GhostRecon Setup and Development Guide

This guide provides all the necessary steps to set up, build, and run the GhostRecon application for development and production.

1. Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your development machine:

• Node.js (LTS version recommended)
• Yarn (the project uses Yarn for package management)
• Git
• Watchman (for macOS users)
• An Android Emulator (via Android Studio) or a physical Android device.

2. Project Setup

Follow these steps to get the project running on your local machine.

Step 2.1: Clone the Repository

Clone this repository to your local machine: '''sh git clone cd GhostRecon/frontend '''

Step 2.2: Install Dependencies

Install the required Node.js packages using Yarn: '''sh yarn install '''

3. Critical Firebase Configuration (Android)

The project uses Firebase for core features like authentication and notifications. You must configure it correctly to avoid API failures.

Step 3.1: Obtain Firebase Configuration File

1. Go to your project's settings in the Firebase Console.
2. In the "Your apps" card, select your Android app (package name: com.sonsofunity.ghostrecon).
3. Under "SDK setup and configuration", click the google-services.json button to download the configuration file.

Step 3.2: Place the Configuration File

Copy the downloaded google-services.json file into the following directory: ''' frontend/android/app/ '''

Step 3.3: Upgrade to Firebase Blaze Plan

During development, we discovered that the app quickly exceeds the free "Spark Plan" quota for Firebase services, leading to a RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED error that prevents login.

To fix this, you must upgrade your Firebase project to the "Blaze" (Pay-as-you-go) plan.

• Go to the Usage and billing section in your Firebase console and follow the instructions to upgrade.
• The Blaze plan still includes a generous free tier, but this step is required to prevent the login/initialization process from failing.

4. Building and Running the App

This project uses native libraries (like react-native-webrtc) that are not included in the standard Expo Go app. Therefore, you must create a custom development build to run the app.

Step 4.1: Build the Custom Development Client

1. Log in to your Expo account using the Expo CLI: '''sh eas login '''
2. From the frontend directory, start the build process: '''sh eas build --profile development --platform android '''
3. EAS will build your app and provide a link to download the .apk file when it's finished.

Step 4.2: Install and Run the App

1. Start your Android Emulator or connect your physical device.
2. Install the APK: Drag the downloaded .apk file onto your running emulator window.
3. Start the Metro Server: In your terminal (inside the frontend directory), run: '''sh yarn start '''
4. Open the App: Launch the "GhostRecon" app on your emulator. It will automatically connect to the Metro server, and you can begin testing.

5. Generating Production Builds (AAB/APK)

When you are ready to submit your app to the Google Play Store, you can create a production build.

To build an Android App Bundle (.aab):

'''sh eas build --profile production --platform android '''

To build a standard APK:

'''sh eas build --profile production-apk --platform android '''

Following these steps will ensure a smooth setup and help you avoid the common configuration and runtime errors we've diagnosed.