Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo
Devuelva datos desde el código nativo mediante Promises y RCTPromiseResolveBlock, envíe eventos a JavaScript con RCTEventEmitter y gestiónelos en JS con NativeEventEmitter.
Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo es una lección gratuita de React Native Academy en CoddyKit. Esta es la lección 4 de 4. Puedes leer la lección completa abajo gratuitamente — luego la practicas en el navegador con un editor de código integrado y un tutor de IA 24/7. Forma parte de la ruta de aprendizaje de React Native Academy, y tu progreso se sincroniza en la web y la app de CoddyKit. El curso de React Native Academy incluye 4 lecciones en total.
Partes de esta lección aún no han sido traducidas y se muestran en inglés.
Why Native Methods Must Be Async
React Native native module methods run on a native background thread, not the JavaScript thread. Because the two runtimes run independently, native code cannot return a value directly. Instead it must communicate results back to JavaScript through one of three patterns: Callbacks, Promises, or Events. Each pattern suits different use cases based on how many responses you need and when they arrive.
Callbacks: The Original Pattern
Callbacks are JavaScript functions passed as arguments to a native method. The native code stores them and invokes them later. The convention is to pass two callbacks — one for success and one for failure — similar to Node.js error-first callbacks. A callback can only be invoked once; invoking it twice throws a runtime error on the JS side.
// Kotlin
@ReactMethod
fun readFile(
path: String,
successCallback: Callback,
errorCallback: Callback
) {
try {
val content = java.io.File(path).readText()
successCallback.invoke(content)
} catch (e: Exception) {
errorCallback.invoke(e.message)
}
}
// JavaScript
NativeModules.FileModule.readFile(
'/data/test.txt',
(content) => console.log(content),
(error) => console.error(error)
);Promises: The Modern Approach
Promises are now the preferred pattern for native methods that return a single result. Add Promise as the final parameter in Kotlin or RCTPromiseResolveBlock / RCTPromiseRejectBlock in Swift. React Native automatically wraps the call in a JS Promise, so you can await it or chain .then(). Promises are self-documenting and integrate naturally with async/await in modern JavaScript.
// Kotlin
@ReactMethod
fun fetchUserData(userId: String, promise: Promise) {
Thread {
try {
val data = apiClient.getUser(userId)
val map = Arguments.createMap()
map.putString('name', data.name)
map.putString('email', data.email)
promise.resolve(map)
} catch (e: Exception) {
promise.reject('FETCH_ERROR', e.message, e)
}
}.start()
}
// JavaScript
try {
const user = await NativeModules.UserModule.fetchUserData('123');
console.log(user.name);
} catch (err) {
console.error('Failed:', err.message);
}Promise Rejection Codes and Messages
When rejecting a Promise, provide three pieces of information: an error code string (like 'PERMISSION_DENIED'), a human-readable message, and optionally the native exception object. On the JavaScript side these become properties of the caught Error: err.code, err.message, and err.nativeStackAndroid or err.nativeStackIOS for debugging.
// Kotlin — structured rejection
@ReactMethod
fun openCamera(promise: Promise) {
val permission = ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(
reactApplicationContext,
Manifest.permission.CAMERA
)
if (permission != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
promise.reject(
'PERMISSION_DENIED',
'Camera permission is not granted. Please enable it in settings.',
null
)
return
}
// proceed...
promise.resolve(true)
}
// JavaScript
try {
await NativeModules.CameraModule.openCamera();
} catch (err) {
if (err.code === 'PERMISSION_DENIED') showSettingsPrompt();
}Events: Push Data from Native to JS
Events are the right tool when native needs to push data to JavaScript multiple times — such as location updates, sensor readings, download progress, or Bluetooth device discovery. Events flow one-way: native emits, JS listens. On Android you use RCTDeviceEventEmitter; on iOS you use RCTEventEmitter methods.
// Kotlin — emit an event
private fun sendEvent(name: String, data: WritableMap) {
reactApplicationContext
.getJSModule(DeviceEventManagerModule.RCTDeviceEventEmitter::class.java)
.emit(name, data)
}
// Call this from a background task:
val map = Arguments.createMap()
map.putDouble('progress', 0.75)
map.putString('fileName', 'video.mp4')
sendEvent('downloadProgress', map)Listening to Events in JavaScript
On the JS side, subscribe to native events using NativeEventEmitter. Pass it the native module object that emits events, then call addListener with the event name and a handler. Always store the subscription reference and call subscription.remove() in a cleanup function (e.g., inside useEffect's return) to prevent memory leaks from stale listeners.
import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
import { NativeModules, NativeEventEmitter } from 'react-native';
const emitter = new NativeEventEmitter(NativeModules.DownloadModule);
export function DownloadScreen() {
const [progress, setProgress] = useState(0);
useEffect(() => {
const sub = emitter.addListener('downloadProgress', (event) => {
setProgress(event.progress);
});
return () => sub.remove(); // cleanup
}, []);
return <ProgressBar value={progress} />;
}addListener and removeListeners on iOS
On iOS, any class that extends RCTEventEmitter must implement two boilerplate methods: addListener(_:) and removeListeners(_:). These let the native module know when JS is actively listening so it can avoid emitting events to an empty audience. Failing to implement them causes a warning in development and may throw in newer RN versions.
// Swift
@objc(DownloadModule)
class DownloadModule: RCTEventEmitter {
override func supportedEvents() -> [String]! {
return ['downloadProgress', 'downloadComplete', 'downloadError']
}
// Required boilerplate
override func addListener(_ eventName: String!) { }
override func removeListeners(_ count: Double) { }
func reportProgress(_ pct: Double, file: String) {
sendEvent(
withName: 'downloadProgress',
body: ['progress': pct, 'fileName': file]
)
}
}WritableArray for List Results
When you need to return an array from native to JavaScript, use WritableArray and Arguments.createArray(). You push items into it with typed methods like pushString, pushInt, and pushMap. Nested structures (maps inside arrays, arrays inside maps) work seamlessly — React Native serializes the entire tree.
// Kotlin
@ReactMethod
fun listBluetoothDevices(promise: Promise) {
val array = Arguments.createArray()
val devices = bluetoothAdapter?.bondedDevices ?: emptySet()
for (device in devices) {
val map = Arguments.createMap()
map.putString('name', device.name)
map.putString('address', device.address)
array.pushMap(map)
}
promise.resolve(array)
}
// JavaScript
const devices = await NativeModules.BleModule.listBluetoothDevices();
devices.forEach(d => console.log(d.name, d.address));Choosing Between Callbacks, Promises, and Events
Use this decision guide: Callbacks — legacy codebases or when you need exactly two outcomes (success/error) in one shot. Promises — any single async operation that resolves once; pairs perfectly with async/await. Events — when native must push multiple updates over time (streams, sensors, ongoing background tasks). Most new code should prefer Promises for one-time results and Events for streams.
// Decision chart as comments
// One result, awaitable? → Promise
const photo = await NativeModules.Camera.takePhoto();
// Multiple results over time? → Event emitter
const sub = emitter.addListener('locationUpdate', handleLocation);
NativeModules.LocationModule.startWatching();
// Legacy API you must support? → Callback
NativeModules.OldModule.doThing(onSuccess, onError);Thread Safety for Event Emission
A common bug is emitting events from a background thread without a listener registered yet, causing a crash or silent drop. On Android, guard with a listener count check. On iOS, RCTEventEmitter handles this internally — sending to zero listeners is silently ignored. Always start background work (GPS polling, BLE scanning) only after the JS side has called the start method, not in the module's initializer.
// Kotlin — safe event emit with listener guard
private var listenerCount = 0
@ReactMethod
fun addListener(eventName: String) {
listenerCount++
}
@ReactMethod
fun removeListeners(count: Int) {
listenerCount -= count
}
private fun safeSendEvent(name: String, data: WritableMap) {
if (listenerCount > 0) {
reactApplicationContext
.getJSModule(DeviceEventManagerModule.RCTDeviceEventEmitter::class.java)
.emit(name, data)
}
}Testing Native Module Callbacks in Jest
When unit-testing components that use native modules, mock the module in Jest setup. Replace the native module with a Jest mock object that returns resolved Promises or calls callbacks with test data. This lets you test the JS side in isolation without a real device. Place module mocks in __mocks__/react-native.js or a setup file declared in jest.config.js.
// __mocks__/NativeModules.js
jest.mock('react-native', () => ({
...jest.requireActual('react-native'),
NativeModules: {
CameraModule: {
takePhoto: jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve('/path/to/photo.jpg')),
openCamera: jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve(true)),
},
DownloadModule: {},
},
}));
// In your test
it('captures a photo and sets image URI', async () => {
const { getByTestId } = render(<CameraScreen />);
fireEvent.press(getByTestId('shutter-btn'));
await waitFor(() =>
expect(getByTestId('preview').props.source).toEqual(
{ uri: '/path/to/photo.jpg' }
)
);
});Quick Check
Test your understanding of React Native Mobile Development concepts from this lesson.
Lesson Recap
In this lesson you learned: how to return data from native using Callbacks, Promises, and Events, how to use WritableMap and WritableArray to pass complex data structures, and how to listen to native events safely in React components with useEffect cleanup. You also saw how to mock native modules in Jest for unit testing. Next up we explore Expo Config Plugins.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿La lección «Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo» es gratis?
Sí — el texto completo de «Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo» es gratis para leer aquí en la web. Para practicarla de forma interactiva (editor de código integrado y tutor de IA 24/7) y desbloquear el resto del curso de React Native Academy, actualiza a CoddyKit PRO. El curso de React Native Academy incluye 4 lecciones en total.
¿Qué aprenderé en «Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo»?
Devuelva datos desde el código nativo mediante Promises y RCTPromiseResolveBlock, envíe eventos a JavaScript con RCTEventEmitter y gestiónelos en JS con NativeEventEmitter. Practicas React Native Academy con código real que ejecutas directamente en el navegador, y un tutor de IA 24/7 responde tus preguntas mientras trabajas en la lección.
¿Necesito experiencia previa para empezar React Native Academy?
No se requiere experiencia previa. React Native Academy en CoddyKit está estructurado para principiantes hasta estudiantes avanzados, así que puedes empezar aquí o desde el inicio y avanzar a tu ritmo. Esta es la lección 4 de 4.
¿Cuánto tiempo toma la lección «Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo»?
La mayoría de las lecciones de CoddyKit toman alrededor de 5–10 minutos. Cada una es compacta e interactiva, así que avanzas constantemente y retomas exactamente por donde dejaste en la web y la app.
¿Puedo escribir y ejecutar código en esta lección de React Native Academy?
Sí. Cada lección de React Native Academy incluye un editor de código integrado, así que escribes y ejecutas código real directamente en tu navegador y obtienes retroalimentación instantánea de IA — sin configuración local necesaria.
Todas las lecciones de este curso
- Escritura de un módulo nativo heredado en Kotlin
- Escritura de un módulo nativo heredado en Swift
- Módulos nativos Turbo con JSI
- Callbacks asíncronos, Promises y eventos desde código nativo