react-native/website/versioned_docs/0.39/using-navigators.md

---
id: version-0.39-using-navigators
title: using-navigators
original_id: using-navigators
---
<a id="content"></a><h1><a class="anchor" name="using-navigators"></a>Using Navigators <a class="hash-link" href="docs/using-navigators.html#using-navigators">#</a></h1><div><p>Mobile apps rarely consist of just one screen. As soon as you add a second screen to your app, you will have to take into consideration how the user will navigate from one screen to the other.</p><p>You can use navigators to transition between multiple screens. These transitions can be typical side-to-side animations down a master/detail stack, or vertical modal popups.</p><h2><a class="anchor" name="navigator"></a>Navigator <a class="hash-link" href="docs/using-navigators.html#navigator">#</a></h2><p>React Native has several built-in navigation components, but for your first app you will probably want to use <code>Navigator</code>. It provides a JavaScript implementation of a navigation stack, so it works on both iOS and Android and is easy to customize.</p><p><img src="img/NavigationStack-Navigator.gif" alt=""></p><h3><a class="anchor" name="working-with-scenes"></a>Working with Scenes <a class="hash-link" href="docs/using-navigators.html#working-with-scenes">#</a></h3><p>At this point you should feel comfortable rendering all sorts of components in your app, be it a simple <code>View</code> with <code>Text</code> inside, or a <code>ScrollView</code> with a list of <code>Image</code>s. Together, these components make up a scene (another word for screen) in your app.</p><p>A scene is nothing other than a React component that is typically rendered full screen. This is in contrast to a <code>Text</code>, an <code>Image</code>, or even a custom <code>SpinningBeachball</code> component that is meant to be rendered as part of a screen. You may have already used one without realizing it - the <a href="docs/tutorial.html" target="_blank">"HelloWorldApp"</a>, the <a href="docs/flexbox.html" target="_blank">"FlexDirectionBasics"</a>, and the <a href="docs/using-a-listview.html" target="_blank">"ListViewBasics"</a> components covered earlier in the tutorial are all examples of scenes.</p><p>For simplicity's sake, let's define a simple scene that displays a bit of text. We will come back to this scene later as we add navigation to our app. Create a new file called "MyScene.js" with the following contents:</p><div class="prism language-javascript">import React<span class="token punctuation">,</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> Component <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
import <span class="token punctuation">{</span> View<span class="token punctuation">,</span> Text<span class="token punctuation">,</span> Navigator <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react-native'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

export default class <span class="token class-name">MyScene</span> extends <span class="token class-name">Component</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  static <span class="token keyword">get</span> <span class="token function">defaultProps<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
    <span class="token keyword">return</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
      title<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token string">'MyScene'</span>
    <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
  <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

  <span class="token function">render<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
    <span class="token keyword">return</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span>
      &lt;View<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
        &lt;Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>Hi<span class="token operator">!</span> My name is <span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token keyword">this</span><span class="token punctuation">.</span>props<span class="token punctuation">.</span>title<span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">.</span>&lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
      &lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>View<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
    <span class="token punctuation">)</span>
  <span class="token punctuation">}</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span></div><p>Notice the <code>export default</code> in front of the component declaration. This will <em>export</em> the component, and in turn allow other components to <em>import</em> it later on, like so:</p><div class="prism language-javascript">import React<span class="token punctuation">,</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> Component <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
import <span class="token punctuation">{</span> AppRegistry <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react-native'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

import MyScene from <span class="token string">'./MyScene'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

class <span class="token class-name">YoDawgApp</span> extends <span class="token class-name">Component</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  <span class="token function">render<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
    <span class="token keyword">return</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span>
      &lt;MyScene <span class="token operator">/</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
    <span class="token punctuation">)</span>
  <span class="token punctuation">}</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span>

AppRegistry<span class="token punctuation">.</span><span class="token function">registerComponent<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token string">'YoDawgApp'</span><span class="token punctuation">,</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span> YoDawgApp<span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span></div><p>We now have a simple app that renders your scene and nothing else. In this case, <code>MyScene</code> is a simple example of a <a href="https://facebook.github.io/react/docs/reusable-components.html" target="_blank">reusable React component</a>.</p><h3><a class="anchor" name="using-navigator"></a>Using Navigator <a class="hash-link" href="docs/using-navigators.html#using-navigator">#</a></h3><p>Enough about scenes, let's start navigating. We will start by rendering a <code>Navigator</code>, and then let the <code>Navigator</code> render the scene for you by passing in your own render function to its <code>renderScene</code> prop.</p><div class="prism language-javascript"><span class="token function">render<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  <span class="token keyword">return</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span>
    &lt;Navigator
      initialRoute<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span> title<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token string">'My Initial Scene'</span><span class="token punctuation">,</span> index<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token number">0</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">}</span>
      renderScene<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token punctuation">(</span>route<span class="token punctuation">,</span> navigator<span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
        <span class="token keyword">return</span> &lt;MyScene title<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span>route<span class="token punctuation">.</span>title<span class="token punctuation">}</span> <span class="token operator">/</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
      <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">}</span>
    <span class="token operator">/</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
  <span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span></div><p>Something you will encounter a lot when dealing with navigation is the concept of routes. A route is an object that contains information about a scene. It is used to provide all the context that the navigator's <code>renderScene</code> function needs to render a scene. It can have any number of keys to help distinguish your scene, and I happened to pick a single <code>title</code> key for the above example.</p><h4><a class="anchor" name="pushing-scenes-onto-the-stack"></a>Pushing scenes onto the stack <a class="hash-link" href="docs/using-navigators.html#pushing-scenes-onto-the-stack">#</a></h4><p>In order to transition to a new scene, you will need to learn about <code>push</code> and <code>pop</code>. These two methods are provided by the <code>navigator</code> object that is passed to your <code>renderScene</code> function above. They can be used, as you may have realized, to push and pop routes into your navigation stack.</p><div class="prism language-javascript">navigator<span class="token punctuation">.</span><span class="token function">push<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  title<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token string">'Next Scene'</span><span class="token punctuation">,</span>
  index<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token number">1</span><span class="token punctuation">,</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

navigator<span class="token punctuation">.</span><span class="token function">pop<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span></div><p>A more complete example that demonstrates the pushing and popping of routes. Edit your index*.js file to look something like this:</p><div class="prism language-javascript">import React<span class="token punctuation">,</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> Component <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
import <span class="token punctuation">{</span> AppRegistry<span class="token punctuation">,</span> Navigator <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react-native'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

import MyScene from <span class="token string">'./MyScene'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

class <span class="token class-name">SimpleNavigationApp</span> extends <span class="token class-name">Component</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  <span class="token function">render<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
    <span class="token keyword">return</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span>
      &lt;Navigator
        initialRoute<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span> title<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token string">'My Initial Scene'</span><span class="token punctuation">,</span> index<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token number">0</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">}</span>
        renderScene<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token punctuation">(</span>route<span class="token punctuation">,</span> navigator<span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
          &lt;MyScene
            title<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span>route<span class="token punctuation">.</span>title<span class="token punctuation">}</span>

           <span class="token comment" spellcheck="true"> // Function to call when a new scene should be displayed
</span>            onForward<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token punctuation">(</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>    
              const nextIndex <span class="token operator">=</span> route<span class="token punctuation">.</span>index <span class="token operator">+</span> <span class="token number">1</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
              navigator<span class="token punctuation">.</span><span class="token function">push<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">{</span>
                title<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token string">'Scene '</span> <span class="token operator">+</span> nextIndex<span class="token punctuation">,</span>
                index<span class="token punctuation">:</span> nextIndex<span class="token punctuation">,</span>
              <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
            <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">}</span>

           <span class="token comment" spellcheck="true"> // Function to call to go back to the previous scene
</span>            onBack<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token punctuation">(</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
              <span class="token keyword">if</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span>route<span class="token punctuation">.</span>index <span class="token operator">&gt;</span> <span class="token number">0</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
                navigator<span class="token punctuation">.</span><span class="token function">pop<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
              <span class="token punctuation">}</span>
            <span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">}</span>
          <span class="token operator">/</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
        <span class="token punctuation">}</span>
      <span class="token operator">/</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
    <span class="token punctuation">)</span>
  <span class="token punctuation">}</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span>

AppRegistry<span class="token punctuation">.</span><span class="token function">registerComponent<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token string">'SimpleNavigationApp'</span><span class="token punctuation">,</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span> SimpleNavigationApp<span class="token punctuation">)</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span></div><p>And your MyScene.js to match this:</p><div class="prism language-javascript">import React<span class="token punctuation">,</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> Component<span class="token punctuation">,</span> PropTypes <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>
import <span class="token punctuation">{</span> View<span class="token punctuation">,</span> Text<span class="token punctuation">,</span> TouchableHighlight <span class="token punctuation">}</span> from <span class="token string">'react-native'</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span>

export default class <span class="token class-name">MyScene</span> extends <span class="token class-name">Component</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  <span class="token function">render<span class="token punctuation">(</span></span><span class="token punctuation">)</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
    <span class="token keyword">return</span> <span class="token punctuation">(</span>
      &lt;View<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
        &lt;Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>Current Scene<span class="token punctuation">:</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token keyword">this</span><span class="token punctuation">.</span>props<span class="token punctuation">.</span>title<span class="token punctuation">}</span>&lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>

        &lt;TouchableHighlight onPress<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token keyword">this</span><span class="token punctuation">.</span>props<span class="token punctuation">.</span>onForward<span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
          &lt;Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>Tap me to load the next scene&lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
        &lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>TouchableHighlight<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>

        &lt;TouchableHighlight onPress<span class="token operator">=</span><span class="token punctuation">{</span><span class="token keyword">this</span><span class="token punctuation">.</span>props<span class="token punctuation">.</span>onBack<span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
          &lt;Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>Tap me to go back&lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>Text<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
        &lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>TouchableHighlight<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
      &lt;<span class="token operator">/</span>View<span class="token operator">&gt;</span>
    <span class="token punctuation">)</span>
  <span class="token punctuation">}</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span>

MyScene<span class="token punctuation">.</span>propTypes <span class="token operator">=</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>
  title<span class="token punctuation">:</span> PropTypes<span class="token punctuation">.</span>string<span class="token punctuation">.</span>isRequired<span class="token punctuation">,</span>
  onForward<span class="token punctuation">:</span> PropTypes<span class="token punctuation">.</span>func<span class="token punctuation">.</span>isRequired<span class="token punctuation">,</span>
  onBack<span class="token punctuation">:</span> PropTypes<span class="token punctuation">.</span>func<span class="token punctuation">.</span>isRequired<span class="token punctuation">,</span>
<span class="token punctuation">}</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span></div><p>In this example, the <code>MyScene</code> component is passed the title of the current route via the <code>title</code> prop. It displays two tappable components that call the <code>onForward</code> and <code>onBack</code> functions passed through its props, which in turn will call <code>navigator.push()</code> and <code>navigator.pop()</code> as needed.</p><p>Check out the <a href="docs/navigator.html" target="_blank">Navigator API reference</a> for more <code>Navigator</code> code samples, or read through the <a href="docs/navigation.html" target="_blank">Navigation guide</a> for other examples of what you can do with navigators.</p><h2><a class="anchor" name="high-five"></a>High Five! <a class="hash-link" href="docs/using-navigators.html#high-five">#</a></h2><p>If you've gotten here by reading linearly through the tutorial, then you are a pretty impressive human being. Congratulations. Next, you might want to check out <a href="/react-native/docs/more-resources.html" target="">all the cool stuff the community does with React Native</a>.</p></div><div class="docs-prevnext"><a class="docs-prev" href="docs/networking.html#content">← Prev</a><a class="docs-next" href="docs/more-resources.html#content">Next →</a></div><p class="edit-page-block">You can <a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/docs/UsingNavigators.md">edit the content above on GitHub</a> and send us a pull request!</p>