Vega Studio supports custom Metro (React Native) Packager port configuration, giving you more flexibility in your development workflow. Instead of being restricted to the default 8081 port, you can configure any available port. This is especially useful when dealing with port conflict issues.
What’s Included
- Configure any available port for the React Native Packager
- Seamless fast refresh and line by line debugging functionality with custom ports
How to Configure
- Open VS Code Settings
- Navigate to the React Native Configuration section
- Enter your desired port number
- Wait for Vega Studio to provide guidance
Default value:
Updated value (example):
After you change the port, Vega Studio prompts you to reload the window, so RN Packager changes are effective. This is because RN keeps referencing the old port until the window is reloaded.
Device Setup Requirements
To ensure full debugging functionality:
- Enable Developer Mode on your Fire TV device (What is developer mode?).
- For the simulator, no additional setup is required, as it allows root access.
Troubleshooting
Common issues and solutions:
Port already in use
Solution: Choose a different port number
Fast refresh not working
Solution: Check that there are no residual reverse port forwarding connections blocking the port(s).
Debugging not working
Verify Developer Mode is enabled and check shared_preferences.json configuration.
For line-by-line debugging with breakpoints to work, Vega Studio automatically modifies the required configuration in the device. The configuration is stored in data/shared_preferences.json. For troubleshooting, verify that this file contains the following entry:
"debug_http_host": "localhost:<PORT>"
Depending on the developer mode state, the file location changes:
| Developer mode | Shell | Location | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| On | Component shell | /data/shared_preferences.json | Permission allowed |
| Off | Regular shell | /home/app_user/packages/<package-id>/data/shared_preferences.json | Permission denied unless device is root |
As rooting the device is not a straight-forward solution, we encourage you to enable developer mode.
Last updated: Mar 10, 2026