So I'm learning React Native now, and I'm wondering how to set up an app manually, without using react-native-cli. The reason is that I want to set up app code within another project, but whenever I try to move code from a react-native-cli app to another folder containing other project code, I get build errors when running npx react-native run-ios (specifically, xcodebuild errors out with exit code 65). Actually, even if you create a project with react-native-cli and then just change the folder name you get the same build error.
I have template repos I use to start React projects, and I'd like to set one up for native projects, but it looks like it's not possible with the react-native-cli workflow. Is there another way to initialize a React Native project? I know the React docs have a section on integrating RN with existing native apps (https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/integration-with-existing-apps), but I don't have an existing native app, I'm starting a new one!
I have scoured the documentation and found nothing on this. Is there any way to find out what commands are run by react-native-cli? How can I set up my RN app from scratch?
EDIT: yes I have heard of Expo! It's all over the RN documentation. I'm asking about how to do the things that react-native init does, but with a more specialized/templated project structure.