Problem with android/settings.gradle

[rodrigotoledo]

Environment

npx react-native doctor passes without errors.

React Native: 0.79.1
Node: 18+
NPM: 9+

Description

I am using the latest version of React Native (0.79.1) and trying to run the project with the latest stable version of @react-native-community/cli.

However, the installed package does not include the expected file:
cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle.

As a result, the build fails when android/settings.gradle tries to execute:

apply from: file("../node_modules/@react-native-community/cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle");
applyNativeModulesSettingsGradle(settings);

To temporarily fix the issue, I had to manually comment out these lines in android/settings.gradle:

// apply from: file("../node_modules/@react-native-community/cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle");
// applyNativeModulesSettingsGradle(settings);

This behavior is unexpected, considering I am using the latest compatible stable versions.

Reproducible Demo

• Create a new React Native 0.79.1 project.

• Install @react-native-community/cli@latest.

• Run npx react-native run-android.

• Build fails due to missing native_modules.gradle.

• Comment out the lines in android/settings.gradle to bypass the error.

[cainlevy]

I'm also experiencing this with:

• react-native@0.76.9
• @react-native-community/cli@18.0.0
• node@22.15.0

[cainlevy]

The expected native_modules.gradle file appears to be nothing more than a log warning to upgrade to React Native Gradle Plugin. I'm not sure why this settings.gradle line exists in the project I've inherited, but it seems skippable.