React Native 0.64 is not following `NODE_BINARY` env setting in Xcode

[gnattu]

Please provide all the information requested. Issues that do not follow this format are likely to stall.

Description

Previously, I could let RN to find node in non-standard location by specifying NODE_BINARY in Bundle React Native Code and images Build phase, but this stopped working after upgrade to RN 0.64 because generate-specs cannot find node.
Same setting was working well on RN 0.63.

React Native version:

System:
 OS: macOS 11.2.3
 CPU: (8) arm64 Apple M1
 Memory: 106.17 MB / 16.00 GB
 Shell: 5.8 - /bin/zsh
 Binaries:
 Node: 15.11.0 - /opt/homebrew/bin/node
 Yarn: 1.22.10 - ~/my_project/node_modules/.bin/yarn
 npm: 7.6.0 - /opt/homebrew/bin/npm
 Watchman: 4.9.0 - /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
 Managers:
 CocoaPods: 1.10.1 - /usr/local/bin/pod
 SDKs:
 iOS SDK:
 Platforms: iOS 14.4, DriverKit 20.2, macOS 11.1, tvOS 14.3, watchOS 7.2
 Android SDK: Not Found
 IDEs:
 Android Studio: 4.1 AI-201.8743.12.41.7042882
 Xcode: 12.4/12D4e - /usr/bin/xcodebuild
 Languages:
 Java: 15.0.2 - /usr/bin/javac
 npmPackages:
 @react-native-community/cli: Not Found
 react: 17.0.2 => 17.0.2 
 react-native: 0.64.0 => 0.64.0 
 react-native-macos: Not Found
 npmGlobalPackages:
 *react-native*: Not Found

Steps To Reproduce

Provide a detailed list of steps that reproduce the issue.

1. Set export NODE_BINARY=/path/to/node in Bundle React Native Code and images in Xcode.
2. Achieve the project, generate-specs will complain about node not found and build will fail.

Expected Results

The build should success as scripts should follow the NODE_BINARY setting.

Snack, code example, screenshot, or link to a repository:

PR #30781 stands out as it directly modifies how node is found in generate-specs.sh. Manually change NODE_BINARY in
generate-specs.sh to the path of node works around this problem, but it is dirty.

[ingjjaa2]

I tryed manually change NODE_BINARY in generate-specs.sh, but it did not work

[monholm]

We are seeing the same issue after upgrading to 0.64.0.

Always had source ~/.zshrc in build faces to allow for node to be found, but this is no longer enough.

As a temporary workaround, we are patching the generate-specs.sh as OP suggested, which mitigates the build failure.

[airtonix]

To be honest react-native shouldn't be doing anything with regards to imposing a node version manager on us...

it's because of these hacks I can't use Volta

[sakthiinfotec]

In XCode, Build Phases -> Bundle React Native code and images, just add

# Fix for machines using nvm
if [[ -s "$HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh" ]]; then
. "$HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh"
elif [[ -x "$(command -v brew)" && -s "$(brew --prefix nvm)/nvm.sh" ]]; then
. "$(brew --prefix nvm)/nvm.sh"
fi

Above export NODE_BINARY=node

This will make Xcode work regardless of your machine using nvm.

[cortinico]

Closing as this version of React Native is several years old. Please re-open a new issue against the latest stable if the issue persists

[aTreey]

solved
Because /usr/local/bin/node there is no node to obtain node in the path, you need to use the pkg installation package to install it.