Real-time Location Tracking with React Native and PubNub

This tutorial demonstrates building a real-time location tracking app using React Native and PubNub. We'll create two apps: a "Trackee" app (the one being tracked) and a "Tracker" app (which receives location updates).

Real-time location tracking is crucial for many on-demand services, including ride-sharing (Uber, Lyft), food delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash), and drone fleet management. This guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to implementing this functionality.

Video demonstrating the app in action

Key Features:

• Leverages React Native and PubNub for real-time data exchange.
• Requires a Google Maps API key and a PubNub account.
• Develops both a Trackee and Tracker application.
• Uses the geolocation API and PubNub's publish/subscribe mechanism.
• Suitable for various applications, from ride-hailing to order tracking.

Prerequisites:

• Basic React Native knowledge. (See the official guide for setup: [link to official guide])
• A PubNub account ([link to PubNub signup])
• A Google Maps API key ([link to Google Maps API key page])

Development Environment:

• Node v10.15.0
• npm 6.4.1
• yarn 1.16.0
• react-native 0.59.9
• react-native-maps 0.24.2
• pubnub-react 1.2.0

Source Code:

• Trackee App: [link to Trackee App repo]
• Tracker App: [link to Tracker App repo]

Trackee App Setup:

1. Create a new React Native project: react-native init trackeeApp
2. Navigate to the project directory: cd trackeeApp
3. Install react-native-maps (follow instructions on [link to react-native-maps installation]).
4. Install PubNub React SDK: yarn add pubnub-react

The Trackee app code (App.js) involves setting up the map, using the geolocation API to track location, and publishing location updates to PubNub using the publish method. The componentDidUpdate lifecycle method ensures that location changes are immediately sent. Android and iOS require slightly different handling for animating marker updates. Error handling and cleanup in componentWillUnmount are also included.

Tracker App Setup:

Follow the same steps as the Trackee app, creating a project named trackerApp. The key difference lies in subscribing to the PubNub channel using the subscribe method and updating the map based on received location data.

Video showing real-time analytics on PubNub

Testing:

Testing involves running the Trackee app (ideally in release mode on iOS simulator with simulated location) and the Tracker app on an Android emulator. PubNub's real-time analytics can verify data transmission.

Conclusion:

This basic implementation showcases real-time location tracking. Numerous applications are possible, including ride-hailing, order tracking, and asset monitoring.

FAQs:

The article concludes with a comprehensive FAQ section addressing common questions about implementing real-time location tracking in React Native, including handling permissions, background tracking, optimization, error handling, testing, geofencing, data security, and sharing location data with other users.

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