feat: decouple config field for iOS target name in favor of automatic detection

Author: artus9033

docs/docs/docs/getting-started/expo.mdx

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { PackageManagerTabs } from '@theme';
 This guide walks you through packaging your Expo React Native app as an **AAR** or **XCFramework** and integrating it into your native **Android** or **iOS** application.
 
 ## Prerequisites
+
 - Install the `@callstack/react-native-brownfield` package from the quick start [section](/docs/getting-started/quick-start#installation)
 
 ## Configuration
@@ -13,9 +14,7 @@ This guide walks you through packaging your Expo React Native app as an **AAR**
 
 ```json
 {
-  "plugins": [
-    "@callstack/react-native-brownfield",
-    ]
+  "plugins": ["@callstack/react-native-brownfield"]
 }
 ```
 
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@ This should only take a few minutes.
 
 > That is all from the AAR steps. We can now consume the AAR inside a native Android App.
 
-### AAR: Present RN UI 
+### AAR: Present RN UI
 
 1. Call the `ReactNativeHostManager.initialize` in your Activity or Application:
 
@@ -80,6 +79,7 @@ override fun onConfigurationChanged(newConfig: Configuration) {
 ```
 
 3. Use either of the following APIs to present the UI:
+
 - ReactNativeFragment
   - See the example [here](https://github.com/callstack/react-native-brownfield/blob/41c81059acda8b134b6fea6bbbcf918c20d16552/apps/AndroidApp/app/src/main/java/com/callstack/brownfield/android/example/MainActivity.kt#L133)
 - ReactNativeFragment.createReactNativeFragment
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ override fun onConfigurationChanged(newConfig: Configuration) {
 
 4. Build and install the android application 🚀
 
-<hr/>
+<hr />
 
 ## iOS Integration
 
@@ -109,23 +109,23 @@ This should only take a few minutes.
 ##### Pre-Requisites
 
 - Follow the step for adding the frameworks to your iOS App - [here](/docs/getting-started/ios#6-add-the-framework-to-your-ios-app)
-<hr/>
+  <hr />
 
 1. Call the following functions from your Application Entry point:
 
 ```swift
 @main
 struct IosApp: App {
     @UIApplicationDelegateAdaptor(AppDelegate.self) var appDelegate
-    
+
     init() {
         ReactNativeBrownfield.shared.bundle = ReactNativeBundle
         ReactNativeBrownfield.shared.startReactNative {
             print("React Native has been loaded")
         }
         ReactNativeBrownfield.shared.ensureExpoModulesProvider()
     }
-    
+
     var body: some Scene {
         WindowGroup {
             ContentView()
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ struct IosApp: App {
 ```swift
 class AppDelegate: NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate {
     var window: UIWindow?
-    
+
     func application(
         _ application: UIApplication,
         didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]? = nil
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ ReactNativeView(moduleName: "ExpoRNApp")
 
 4. Build and install the iOS application 🚀
 
-<hr/>
+<hr />
 
 ## Plugin Options
 
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ You can pass plugin options through the second item in the `plugins` tuple in `a
       "@callstack/react-native-brownfield",
       {
         "ios": {
-          "appTargetName": "MyApp",
           "frameworkName": "MyBrownfieldLib",
           "bundleIdentifier": "com.example.app.brownfield",
           ...
@@ -191,13 +190,6 @@ You can pass plugin options through the second item in the `plugins` tuple in `a
 
 ### iOS
 
-- `appTargetName` (`string`, optional)
-  - Name of the iOS Application Target.
-
-> If not provided, the plugin will try to determine the application target name from the Xcode project.
-> 
-> Auto-detection works only when there is exactly one iOS application target.
-
 - `frameworkName` (`string`, default: `"BrownfieldLib"`)
   - Name of the generated framework. This is also used as the XCFramework name.
 - `bundleIdentifier` (`string`, default: app bundle identifier + `.brownfield`)
@@ -209,6 +201,14 @@ You can pass plugin options through the second item in the `plugins` tuple in `a
 - `frameworkVersion` (`string`, default: `"1"`)
   - Framework version used for Apple build settings (must be an integer or floating point value, for example `"1"` or `"2.1"`).
 
+> The plugin will determine the application target automatically. The auto-detection path works as follows:
+>
+> 1. _Common for all cases_: scan the iOS targets for ones of type `com.apple.product-type.application`
+> 2. Use the first matching strategy:
+>    - CNG-derived name from mod compiler (`modRequest.projectName`) - only if it exists in the filtered application-type list of Xcode project targets
+>    - Unambiguous first application-type target - if there is exactly one
+>    - PBX "first native target" fallback - last resort fallback that selects the first native target of any type
+
 ### Android
 
 - `moduleName` (`string`, default: `"brownfieldlib"`)

packages/react-native-brownfield/package.json

@@ -82,8 +82,7 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
-    "react": "*",
-    "react-native": "*"
+    "@expo/config-plugins": "^54.0.4"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@callstack/brownfield-cli": "workspace:^"
@@ -92,6 +91,7 @@
     "@babel/core": "^7.25.2",
     "@babel/preset-env": "^7.25.3",
     "@babel/runtime": "^7.25.0",
+    "@expo/config-plugins": "^54.0.4",
     "@react-native/babel-preset": "0.82.1",
     "@types/jest": "^30.0.0",
     "@types/react": "^19.1.1",

packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/withBrownfieldIos.ts

@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ export const withBrownfieldIos: ConfigPlugin<
     ? parseInt(config.sdkVersion.split('.')[0], 10)
     : -1;
   const isExpoPre55 = expoMajor < 55;
-
   // Step 1: modify the Xcode project to add framework target &
   config = withXcodeProject(config, (xcodeConfig) => {
     const { modResults: project, modRequest } = xcodeConfig;
@@ -42,6 +41,10 @@ export const withBrownfieldIos: ConfigPlugin<
       modRequest,
       props.ios
     );
+    addExpoPre55ShellPatchScriptPhase(modRequest, project, {
+      frameworkName: props.ios.frameworkName,
+      frameworkTargetUUID: frameworkTargetUUID,
+    });
 
     if (targetAlreadyExists) {
       Logger.logDebug(
@@ -60,10 +63,9 @@ export const withBrownfieldIos: ConfigPlugin<
         `Adding ExpoModulesProvider patch phase for Expo SDK ${config.sdkVersion}`
       );
 
-      addExpoPre55ShellPatchScriptPhase(project, {
+      addExpoPre55ShellPatchScriptPhase(modRequest, project, {
         frameworkName: props.ios.frameworkName,
         frameworkTargetUUID: frameworkTargetUUID,
-        appTargetName: props.ios.appTargetName,
       });
     } else {
       Logger.logDebug(

packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/xcodeHelpers.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import path from 'node:path';
 
-import type { ModProps, XcodeProject } from '@expo/config-plugins';
+import {
+  type ModProps,
+  type XcodeProject,
+  IOSConfig,
+} from '@expo/config-plugins';
 
 import { Logger } from '../logging';
 import type { ResolvedBrownfieldPluginIosConfig } from '../types';
@@ -286,35 +290,83 @@ export function copyBundleReactNativePhase(
   }
 }
 
-function resolveErrorMessageForAppTargetName(
-  applicationTargets: string[]
-): string {
-  return applicationTargets.length > 1
-    ? `Multiple iOS application targets found in the Xcode project (${applicationTargets.join(', ')}). Please set ios.appTargetName in plugin options.`
-    : 'Could not determine the iOS app target name from the Xcode project. Please set `ios.appTargetName` in the `react-native-brownfield` plugin configuration in your Expo config (for example, app.json).';
+function resolveAppTargetName(
+  project: XcodeProject,
+  modRequest: ModProps<XcodeProject>
+): string | null {
+  const appTargets = IOSConfig.Target.getNativeTargets(project)
+    .map(([, target]) => {
+      if (
+        !IOSConfig.Target.isTargetOfType(
+          target,
+          IOSConfig.Target.TargetType.APPLICATION
+        )
+      ) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      const name = IOSConfig.XcodeUtils.unquote(target.name ?? '').trim();
+
+      return name ?? null;
+    })
+    .filter((name): name is string => !!name);
+
+  // 1) Unambiguous first application-type target
+  if (appTargets.length === 1) {
+    return appTargets[0];
+  } else {
+    Logger.logWarning(
+      'Multiple application targets found in the Xcode project. Falling back to the CNG-derived name from mod compiler.'
+    );
+  }
+
+  // 2) CNG-derived name from mod compiler (`modRequest.projectName`) - only if it exists in the filtered application-type list of Xcode project targets
+  const cngDerivedProjectName = modRequest.projectName;
+  if (cngDerivedProjectName && appTargets.includes(cngDerivedProjectName)) {
+    return cngDerivedProjectName;
+  } else {
+    Logger.logWarning(
+      'CNG-derived name from mod compiler is not set or is not an application target. Falling back to the unfiltered-type target name.'
+    );
+  }
+
+  // 3) PBX "first native target" fallback
+  try {
+    const [, firstAppTarget] = IOSConfig.Target.findFirstNativeTarget(project);
+    const name = IOSConfig.XcodeUtils.unquote(firstAppTarget.name ?? '').trim();
+    return name || null;
+  } catch {
+    Logger.logWarning(
+      'No first native target of any type found in the Xcode project. This was the last resort fallback.'
+    );
+  }
+
+  Logger.logError(
+    `Could not determine the iOS app target name from the Xcode project. Please adjust your Xcode project to have exactly one application target.`
+  );
+
+  return null;
 }
 
 export function addExpoPre55ShellPatchScriptPhase(
+  modRequest: ModProps<XcodeProject>,
   project: XcodeProject,
   {
     frameworkName,
     frameworkTargetUUID,
-    appTargetName,
   }: {
     frameworkName: string;
     frameworkTargetUUID: string;
-    appTargetName: string;
   }
 ) {
-  const applicationTargets = getApplicationTargetNames(project);
-  const resolvedAppTargetName =
-    appTargetName || getApplicationTargetName(applicationTargets);
+  const resolvedAppTargetName = resolveAppTargetName(project, modRequest);
 
-  if (!resolvedAppTargetName) {
-    const errorMessage =
-      resolveErrorMessageForAppTargetName(applicationTargets);
+  Logger.logInfo(`Resolved iOS app target name: ${resolvedAppTargetName}`);
 
-    throw new SourceModificationError(errorMessage);
+  if (!resolvedAppTargetName) {
+    throw new SourceModificationError(
+      `Could not determine the iOS app target name from the Xcode project.`
+    );
   }
 
   project.addBuildPhase(
@@ -334,41 +386,6 @@ export function addExpoPre55ShellPatchScriptPhase(
   );
 }
 
-/**
- *
- * @param applicationTargets iOS application target names
- * @returns First iOS application target name if there is exactly one, otherwise null
- */
-function getApplicationTargetName(applicationTargets: string[]): string | null {
-  if (applicationTargets.length !== 1) return null;
-  return applicationTargets[0];
-}
-
-/**
- * Returns iOS application target names from PBXNativeTarget section.
- */
-function getApplicationTargetNames(project: XcodeProject): string[] {
-  const nativeTargets = project.pbxNativeTargetSection();
-  const applicationTargets = new Set<string>();
-
-  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(nativeTargets)) {
-    if (key.endsWith('_comment')) continue;
-
-    const target = value as any;
-    const productType = String(target?.productType ?? '').replace(/"/g, '');
-    if (productType !== 'com.apple.product-type.application') continue;
-
-    const targetName = String(target?.name ?? '')
-      .replace(/"/g, '')
-      .trim();
-    if (targetName) {
-      applicationTargets.add(targetName);
-    }
-  }
-
-  return [...applicationTargets];
-}
-
 /**
  * Makes sure the patch expo modules provider phase is after the expo configure phase,
  * otherwise the patched file would be overwritten by the expo configure phase

packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/types/ios/BrownfieldPluginIosConfig.ts

@@ -2,14 +2,6 @@
  * iOS-specific configuration for Brownfield config plugin
  */
 export interface BrownfieldPluginIosConfig {
-  /**
-   * The name of the iOS app target
-   * If not provided, the plugin will try to determine the application target name from the Xcode project.
-   * Auto-detection works only when there is exactly one iOS application target.
-   * @default ""
-   */
-  appTargetName?: string;
-
   /**
    * The name of the framework to create
    * This will be used as the XCFramework name

packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/withBrownfield.ts

@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ function resolveConfig(
   return {
     ios: expoConfig.ios
       ? {
-          appTargetName: config.ios?.appTargetName ?? '',
           frameworkName: config.ios?.frameworkName ?? 'BrownfieldLib',
           bundleIdentifier:
             config.ios?.bundleIdentifier ??

yarn.lock

@@ -2420,6 +2420,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@babel/preset-env": "npm:^7.25.3"
     "@babel/runtime": "npm:^7.25.0"
     "@callstack/brownfield-cli": "workspace:^"
+    "@expo/config-plugins": "npm:^54.0.4"
     "@react-native/babel-preset": "npm:0.82.1"
     "@types/jest": "npm:^30.0.0"
     "@types/react": "npm:^19.1.1"
@@ -2432,8 +2433,7 @@ __metadata:
     react-native-builder-bob: "npm:^0.40.17"
     typescript: "npm:5.9.3"
   peerDependencies:
-    react: "*"
-    react-native: "*"
+    "@expo/config-plugins": ^54.0.4
   bin:
     brownfield: lib/commonjs/scripts/brownfield.js
   languageName: unknown