System Requirements
The NativeScript CLI offers both a Quick Setup for getting started quickly, and a Full Setup that allows you to compile iOS and Android apps locally. This page outlines the system compatibility for both setup options.
NOTE: You can read more about the quick setup and full setup options on the CLI setup page.
Quick Setup Requirements
The NativeScript quick setup only requires that your development machine can run Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager).
Full Setup Requirements
For the full setup option, NativeScript and its tooling rely upon the iOS and Android SDKs to build and package mobile applications, so for the most part our system requirements match theirs. The specific requirements depend on the operating system you’re developing on.
Full Setup Requirements: Windows
Using a Windows system for full NativeScript development requires the following software/SDK versions.
| Component | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 | The minimum required version is Windows 7 |
| iOS Development | - | iOS applications cannot be developed on a Windows system |
| Android Development | Android 6.0 SDK (API level 23) | The minimum requirements is Android 4.2 SDK (API level 17) |
You should follow the steps outlined in the Command-Line Interface Setup article for instructions on how to install NodeJS, the NativeScript CLI and then, execute the setup scripts to automatically install any additionally required software components and configure your environment for local development.
People who prefer to install and configure their environment manually should follow the Advanced Setup for Windows guide.
Full Setup Requirements: macOS
Using a macOS system for full NativeScript development requires the following software/SDK versions.
| Component | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | macOS High Sierra (10.13) | The minimum required version is macOS Sierra (10.12) |
| iOS Development | iOS 11 SDK (Xcode 9) | |
| Android Development | Android 6.0 SDK (API level 23) | The minimum requirements is Android 4.2 SDK (API level 17) |
You should follow the steps outlined in the Command-Line Interface Setup article for instructions on how to install NodeJS, the NativeScript CLI and then, execute the setup scripts to automatically install any additionally required software components and configure your environment for local development.
People who prefer to install and configure their environment manually should follow the Advanced Setup for macOS guide.
Full Setup Requirements: Linux
Using a Linux system for full NativeScript development requires the following software/SDK versions.
| Component | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Ubuntu 16.04 | NativeScript will work on most Linux based distributions, but Ubuntu offers the best experience |
| iOS Development | - | iOS applications cannot be developed on a Linux system. |
| Android Development | Android 6.0 SDK (API level 23) | The minimum requirements is Android 4.2 SDK (API level 17) |
To install any additionally required components and configure your environment for local development, you should follow the Advanced Setup for Linux guide.
Next Steps
- Follow the Command-Line Interface Setup guide to configure your environment for local development
- Check the How NativeScript Works article to gain a better understanding of the NativeScript framework