| name | react-native-testing |
| description | Deep React Native Testing Library (RNTL) reference — v13 (React 18 sync) and v14 (React 19 async), queries, userEvent, matchers, anti-patterns. |
| metadata | {"author":"maikotrindade","version":"2026.5.0"} |
React Native Testing Library
Deep API reference for @testing-library/react-native v13 and v14.
Scope: unit + component tests with Jest + RNTL. For end-to-end UI flows on real devices/simulators, use Maestro — declarative YAML flows, no code, runs against the built app. RNTL and Maestro are complementary, not alternatives.
IMPORTANT: API signatures, sync/async behavior, and available functions differ between v13 and v14. Always check the project's package.json and load the matching version reference rather than relying on memorized patterns.
Version Detection
Check @testing-library/react-native in package.json:
Core References
| Topic | Description | Reference |
|---|
| Core patterns | Query priority, render/screen, userEvent vs fireEvent, waitFor, 11 core rules | core-patterns |
| v13 API (React 18) | Sync render, full method tables, fireEvent sync, React 19 compat shims | reference-v13-api |
| v14 API (React 19) | Async render, await-based APIs, removed APIs, v13→v14 migration codemods | reference-v14-api |
| Anti-patterns | Wrong queries, waitFor misuse, unnecessary act, destructuring, missing await | best-practices-anti-patterns |
Key Recommendations
- Always use
screen for queries — never destructure from render()
getByRole first with { name: '...' } option (most accessibility-aware)findBy* for async elements — not waitFor + getBy*userEvent over fireEvent — more realistic interaction simulationqueryBy* only for non-existence assertions (.not.toBeOnTheScreen())- v14: always
await every API (including render, fireEvent, act)
