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React Native Academy · Lesson

Installing and Configuring React Navigation

Install React Navigation and its dependencies, wrap the app in a NavigationContainer, and set up your first stack navigator with two screens.

Installing and Configuring React Navigation is a free React Native Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the React Native Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

What is React Navigation?

React Navigation is the most popular library for handling navigation in React Native apps. It provides a set of navigators — Stack, Tab, Drawer — that let you move between screens, pass data, and manage navigation history. React Navigation is JavaScript-based and works seamlessly with Expo and bare React Native projects.

Installing Core Dependencies

React Navigation requires its core package plus a set of native dependencies. Run the install command and then install the native stack and required gesture/animation libraries.

npm install @react-navigation/native
npx expo install react-native-screens react-native-safe-area-context

Installing the Native Stack Navigator

The native stack navigator from @react-navigation/native-stack uses native platform navigation components for iOS and Android, giving you better performance and a more native feel than the JS-only stack. Install it alongside the core package.

npm install @react-navigation/native-stack

Wrapping App in NavigationContainer

Every React Navigation setup requires NavigationContainer to be the root wrapper of your app. It manages the navigation tree, handles the back button on Android, and provides navigation context to all child components. Wrap your entire app in it inside App.js.

import { NavigationContainer } from '@react-navigation/native';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      {/* navigator goes here */}
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Creating a Stack Navigator

Use createNativeStackNavigator() to create a stack navigator. The function returns a Navigator and a Screen component. Nest Stack.Screen components inside Stack.Navigator to register your screens.

import { createNativeStackNavigator } from '@react-navigation/native-stack';

const Stack = createNativeStackNavigator();

function MyStack() {
  return (
    <Stack.Navigator>
      <Stack.Screen name='Home' component={HomeScreen} />
      <Stack.Screen name='Details' component={DetailsScreen} />
    </Stack.Navigator>
  );
}

The initialRouteName Prop

By default the first screen listed in Stack.Navigator is the initial screen. You can explicitly set which screen appears first using the initialRouteName prop on Stack.Navigator. The value must match the name of one of the Stack.Screen children.

<Stack.Navigator initialRouteName='Details'>
  <Stack.Screen name='Home' component={HomeScreen} />
  <Stack.Screen name='Details' component={DetailsScreen} />
</Stack.Navigator>

Creating Simple Screen Components

Each screen registered in the navigator is a normal React component. React Navigation automatically injects navigation and route props into every registered screen component. You can use these props to navigate or read route parameters.

function HomeScreen({ navigation }) {
  return (
    <View style={{ flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center' }}>
      <Text>Home Screen</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

function DetailsScreen({ navigation }) {
  return (
    <View style={{ flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center' }}>
      <Text>Details Screen</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

Putting It All Together

Combining NavigationContainer, the stack navigator, and your screen components gives you a working two-screen app. The first screen registered becomes the visible screen on startup. React Navigation handles the back button and navigation header automatically.

import { NavigationContainer } from '@react-navigation/native';
import { createNativeStackNavigator } from '@react-navigation/native-stack';

const Stack = createNativeStackNavigator();

export default function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator>
        <Stack.Screen name='Home' component={HomeScreen} />
        <Stack.Screen name='Details' component={DetailsScreen} />
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Customizing the Header Title

Each Stack.Screen accepts an options prop where you can customize the header. Set title to override the default screen name displayed in the navigation bar. You can also set headerShown: false to hide the header entirely.

<Stack.Screen
  name='Home'
  component={HomeScreen}
  options={{ title: 'My Home Page' }}
/>

Screen Options on the Navigator

Set screenOptions on the Stack.Navigator to apply default options to all screens. Individual screen options override the navigator defaults. This avoids repeating common settings like headerStyle or headerTintColor on every screen.

<Stack.Navigator
  screenOptions={{
    headerStyle: { backgroundColor: '#6200ee' },
    headerTintColor: '#fff',
    headerTitleStyle: { fontWeight: 'bold' },
  }}
>
  <Stack.Screen name='Home' component={HomeScreen} />
  <Stack.Screen name='Details' component={DetailsScreen} />
</Stack.Navigator>

Verifying Your Setup

Run npx expo start and open the app. You should see the Home screen with a navigation header. On iOS, the back button appears automatically when you navigate to Details. On Android, the hardware back button is handled by React Navigation. If the app crashes, double-check that react-native-screens and react-native-safe-area-context are installed.

Quick Check

Test your understanding of React Navigation setup concepts from this lesson.

Lesson Recap

In this lesson you learned: install the React Navigation core and native-stack packages, wrap your app in NavigationContainer, and define screens inside Stack.Navigator with Stack.Screen. Next up we explore navigating between screens and passing parameters.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Installing and Configuring React Navigation” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Installing and Configuring React Navigation” is free to read here on the web, and the React Native Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the React Native Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Installing and Configuring React Navigation”?

Install React Navigation and its dependencies, wrap the app in a NavigationContainer, and set up your first stack navigator with two screens. You practise React Native Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start React Native Academy?

No prior experience is required. React Native Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Installing and Configuring React Navigation” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this React Native Academy lesson?

Yes. Every React Native Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Installing and Configuring React Navigation
  2. Navigating Between Screens and Passing Params
  3. Bottom Tab Navigator
  4. Drawer Navigator and Nested Navigators
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