TikTorah

A cross-platform React Native app built with Expo that runs on iOS, Android, and Web for undoomscrolling Torah.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v18 or later) - Download
• npm or yarn - Comes with Node.js
• Git - Download

Platform-Specific Requirements

iOS (macOS only)

• Xcode (v15 or later) - Install from the Mac App Store
• Xcode Command Line Tools - Run xcode-select --install
• CocoaPods - Run sudo gem install cocoapods

Android

• Android Studio - Download
• Android SDK (API 34 or later)
• Android Emulator or physical device with USB debugging enabled

Web

• Any modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd tiktorah

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

Running the App

Start the Development Server

npm start

This launches the Expo development server and displays a QR code and menu options.

iOS

Option 1: iOS Simulator (macOS only)

npm run ios

This automatically opens the app in the iOS Simulator.

Option 2: Physical Device

1. Install the Expo Go app from the App Store
2. Run npm start
3. Scan the QR code with your iPhone camera

Android

Option 1: Android Emulator

npm run android

Ensure you have an Android emulator running or it will prompt you to start one.

Option 2: Physical Device

1. Install the Expo Go app from the Google Play Store
2. Enable USB debugging on your device
3. Run npm start
4. Scan the QR code with the Expo Go app

Web

npm run web

This opens the app in your default web browser at http://localhost:8081.

Sefaria Data

The app includes bundled data from Sefaria.org and automatically checks for updates on startup.

Data Sources

Data	API Endpoint	Description
Library Index	/api/index	Complete catalog of texts (~4MB)
Topics	/api/topics	Topic taxonomy and metadata (~1.3MB)

How It Works

1. Bundled Data: The app ships with pre-downloaded JSON data files in /data/
2. Instant Loading: On startup, data loads immediately from bundled or cached files
3. Background Updates: After loading, the app checks for updates in the background (non-blocking)
4. Hash Comparison: Uses SHA256 hashing to detect if remote data has changed
5. Automatic Caching: Updated data is persisted locally for future use

Storage

Platform	Storage Method
iOS	File system (expo-file-system)
Android	File system (expo-file-system)
Web	LocalStorage via AsyncStorage

Usage in Code

import { useSefaria } from '@/contexts/SefariaContext';

function MyComponent() {
  const { index, topics, isLoading, isCheckingForUpdates } = useSefaria();

  if (isLoading) return <Loading />;

  // Use index and topics data...
}

Manual Data Management

Users can manage data from Settings:

• Check for Updates: Manually trigger an update check
• Reset to Bundled: Clear cached data and revert to bundled version

Project Structure

tiktorah/
├── app/                    # App screens (Expo Router)
│   ├── _layout.tsx         # Root layout with providers
│   ├── index.tsx           # Entry point redirect
│   └── (tabs)/             # Tab-based navigation
│       ├── _layout.tsx     # Tab bar configuration
│       ├── index.tsx       # Home screen
│       ├── components.tsx  # UI component showcase
│       └── settings.tsx    # Settings screen
├── contexts/
│   └── SefariaContext.tsx  # Sefaria data provider and hooks
├── services/
│   └── sefariaData.ts      # Data loading, caching, and updates
├── data/
│   ├── sefaria-index.json  # Bundled library index
│   └── sefaria-topics.json # Bundled topics data
├── assets/                 # Images, fonts, and icons
├── constants/
│   └── theme.ts            # App theme configuration
├── app.json                # Expo configuration
├── package.json            # Dependencies and scripts
├── tsconfig.json           # TypeScript configuration
├── babel.config.js         # Babel configuration
├── metro.config.js         # Metro bundler configuration
└── eas.json                # EAS Build configuration

Available Scripts

Command	Description
npm start	Start the Expo development server
npm run ios	Run on iOS simulator
npm run android	Run on Android emulator
npm run web	Run in web browser
npm run lint	Run ESLint
npm test	Run tests

Building for Production

Using EAS Build (Recommended)

First, install the EAS CLI and log in:

npm install -g eas-cli
eas login

Build for iOS:

eas build --platform ios

Build for Android:

eas build --platform android

Build for both platforms:

eas build --platform all

Web Export

npm run build:web

This creates a static export in the dist/ folder that can be deployed to any static hosting service.

Testing

Running Tests

npm test

Running Linter

npm run lint

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Metro bundler cache issues:

npm start -- --clear

iOS build fails:

cd ios && pod install && cd ..

Android build fails:

• Ensure Android SDK is properly configured
• Check that ANDROID_HOME environment variable is set
• Try npm run android -- --clear

Web styles not working:

• Clear browser cache
• Restart the development server with npm start -- --clear

Resetting the Project

If you encounter persistent issues:

rm -rf node_modules
rm -rf .expo
npm install
npm start -- --clear

Tech Stack

• React Native 0.76 - Cross-platform mobile framework
• Expo SDK 52 - Development platform and tools
• React 18.3 - UI library
• TypeScript 5.6 - Type-safe JavaScript
• Expo Router 4 - File-based navigation
• React Native Paper 5 - Material Design 3 components
• React Native Reanimated 3 - Animations
• @expo/vector-icons - Icon library
• expo-file-system - Native file storage
• expo-crypto - SHA256 hashing for update detection
• AsyncStorage - Cross-platform key-value storage

Data Attribution

This app uses data from Sefaria.org, a free living library of Jewish texts.

License

MIT