Question: How do I access the MacOS file system with react-native-macos/windows?

[willmruzek]

[Simek]

Hi @mruzekw, you should check out Node File System API.

[tom-un]

react-native-macos is no different than iOS upstream in react-native regarding local file system access: in other words, there is no built-in JavaScript API for arbitrary file system access. The nearest thing is the AsyncStorage API which is still in core but deprecated, or the react-native-community AsyncStorage which does have support for macOS as well Windows, iOS and Android. For your own app's specific needs, you could create your own Native Module that uses ObjC/C/C++ calls to access the file system.

[willmruzek]

@tom-un Thanks, Tom. I might actually undertake that. That’s really the only feature that’s missing for an app I’d like to build (at least that I can think of right now haha).

Is there a place I can submit community modules for react-native-macos/windows?

[tom-un]

Try the https://reactnative.directory/. A search there shows some existing components for file system access. Mac and windows implementations could be contributed to an existing one.

[willmruzek]

Okay, thanks.

Looks like react-native-fs and expo-file-system are both worth contributing to.

I just didn't know if there was a specific place for react-native-macos/windows modules.

[tom-un]

In my opinion, the best react-native modules will have support for all platforms: ios, android, macos and windows 😀. There are three RNC modules that already have support for all four platforms (WebView, AsyncStorage, NetInfo) and more on the way. Of course there are cases for platform specific modules, like a wrapper for a widget that is unique to a single platform. But a file system module should be universal 👍.

[willmruzek]

Of course! Makes perfect sense. Thanks again!

[penx]

related: microsoft/react-native-windows#2829