Instagram's simple yet engaging user interface has inspired many developers to create similar apps. Today, we will guide you on how to build an Instagram clone using TypeScript. For this purpose, we will rely on Amity Social Cloud UI Kit, which provides pre-built UI components, making it easier to build social media applications. It is compatible with React Native, a popular framework for building mobile apps using JavaScript and React.
Pre-requisites
Before we begin, make sure you have the following:
- A React Native project set up and ready to go.
- Git installed on your system.
- Node.js and npm or yarn installed on your system.
- An Amity Social Cloud Portal account
- An Amity Social Cloud Console Account
- Access to Amity Social Cloud UI Kits
Note: If you haven’t already registered for an Amity Social Cloud account, we recommend following our comprehensive step-by-step guide in the Amity Portal to create your new network.
Step 1: Clone the Repository
Start by cloning the Amity Social Cloud UI Kit repository from GitHub. Open your terminal and run the following command:
This command will create a copy of the repository on your local machine.
Step 2: Navigate to the Folder
Next, navigate to the cloned folder using the command:
Step 3: Install the Packages
Once you’re in the project directory, install all the necessary packages using either yarn or npm install. These packages include all the dependencies required by the Amity UIKit.
Step 4: Build the App
After installing the packages, build the app using yarn pack or npm pack. This will generate a .tgz file in the folder, which we will use in the next steps.
Step 5: Copy the .tgz File
Now, move the .tgz file to your application folder where you need to use the UI Kit. Use the command yarn add ./asc-react-native-ui-kit/amityco-asc-react-native-ui-kit-0.1.0.tgz.
Step 6: Install Required Dependencies
Next, install the required dependencies by running the following command:
Step 7: Install Expo Modules
To ensure compatibility with Expo, run npx install-expo-modules@latest.
Step 8: Configuration
For iOS, run npx pod-install to install the necessary pods. For Android, sync your project's gradle file.
Step 9: Camera Permissions (Only for iOS)
For iOS, add the following permissions to the info.plist file (ios/{YourAppName}/Info.plist) for camera access:
Step 10: Authentication
Finally, import Amity UiKit and use it in your application as follows:
Replace “API_KEY” with your Amity API key, and “userId” and “displayName” with your user’s ID and display name, respectively.
Instagram Customisation
To customise a UI resembling Instagram, focus on a clean, minimalistic design with a grid layout for the photo feed and a navigation bar at the bottom featuring home, search, post creation, activity, and user profile icons. Adopt a simple colour scheme with whites, greys, and brand-specific highlights, along with modern, sans-serif fonts. The profile page should display the user’s picture, bio, and posts in a grid format. Essential features include high-quality image and video integration, interactive elements like liking and commenting, a search function for user and tag discovery, and stories at the top of the home feed.
Final Thoughts
Building an Instagram clone with TypeScript can be easily leveraged by using Amity Social Cloud UI Kit. It allows you to understand the intricacies of social media app development while providing a practical application of your coding skills. With the Amity Social Cloud UI Kit, you can focus more on the unique features of your app, rather than spending time on building common UI components. To start testing these features right away, just contact Amity!