fix: adjust behavior of empty string in badge prop

.changeset/khaki-maps-lay.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'react-native-bottom-tabs': minor
+---
+
+fix: adjust the behavior of empty string for badge prop

apps/example/src/Examples/FourTabs.tsx

@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export default function FourTabs({
       key: 'contacts',
       focusedIcon: require('../../assets/icons/person_dark.png'),
       title: 'Contacts',
+      badge: ' ',
     },
     {
       key: 'chat',

docs/docs/docs/guides/standalone-usage.md

@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ export default function TabViewExample() {
     {
       key: 'home',
       title: 'Home',
-      focusedIcon: { sfSymbol: 'house' }
+      focusedIcon: { sfSymbol: 'house' },
     },
     {
       key: 'settings',
       title: 'Settings',
-      focusedIcon: { sfSymbol: 'gear' }
+      focusedIcon: { sfSymbol: 'gear' },
     },
   ]);
 
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ const renderScene = SceneMap({
 #### `navigationState`
 
 State for the tab view. The state should contain:
+
 - `routes`: Array of route objects containing `key` and `title` props
 - `index`: Current selected tab index
 
@@ -107,13 +108,15 @@ Callback that is called when the tab index changes.
 #### `labeled`
 
 Whether to show labels in tabs. When `false`, only icons will be displayed.
+
 - Type: `boolean`
 - Default <Badge text="iOS" type="info" />: `true`
 - Default <Badge text="Android" type="info" />: `false`
 
 #### `sidebarAdaptable` <Badge text="iOS" type="info" />
 
 A tab bar style that adapts to each platform:
+
 - iPadOS: Top tab bar that can adapt into a sidebar
 - iOS: Bottom tab bar
 - macOS/tvOS: Sidebar
@@ -122,38 +125,43 @@ A tab bar style that adapts to each platform:
 #### `disablePageAnimations` <Badge text="iOS" type="info" />
 
 Whether to disable animations between tabs.
+
 - Type: `boolean`
 
 #### `hapticFeedbackEnabled`
 
 Whether to enable haptic feedback on tab press.
+
 - Type: `boolean`
 - Default: `false`
 
-
 #### `tabLabelStyle`
 
 Object containing styles for the tab label.
 Supported properties:
+
 - `fontFamily`
 - `fontSize`
 - `fontWeight`
 
 #### `scrollEdgeAppearance` <Badge text="iOS" type="info" />
 
 Appearance attributes for the tab bar when a scroll view is at the bottom.
+
 - Type: `'default' | 'opaque' | 'transparent'`
 
 #### `minimizeBehavior` <Badge text="iOS 26+" type="info" />
 
 Controls how the tab bar behaves when content is scrolled.
+
 - Type: `'automatic' | 'onScrollDown' | 'onScrollUp' | 'never'`
 - Default: `undefined` (uses system default)
 
 Options:
+
 - `automatic`: Platform determines the behavior
 - `onScrollDown`: Tab bar minimizes when scrolling down
-- `onScrollUp`: Tab bar minimizes when scrolling up  
+- `onScrollUp`: Tab bar minimizes when scrolling up
 - `never`: Tab bar never minimizes
 
 :::note
@@ -163,6 +171,7 @@ This feature requires iOS 26.0 or later and is only available on iOS. On older v
 #### `tabBarActiveTintColor`
 
 Color for the active tab.
+
 - Type: `ColorValue`
 
 #### `tabBarInactiveTintColor`
@@ -182,11 +191,13 @@ Supported properties:
 #### `translucent` <Badge text="iOS" type="info" />
 
 Whether the tab bar is translucent.
+
 - Type: `boolean`
 
 #### `activeIndicatorColor` <Badge text="Android" type="info" />
 
 Color of tab indicator.
+
 - Type: `ColorValue`
 
 ### Route Configuration
@@ -207,21 +218,29 @@ Each route in the `routes` array can have the following properties:
 #### `getLazy`
 
 Function to determine if a screen should be lazy loaded.
+
 - Default: Uses `route.lazy`
 
 #### `getLabelText`
 
 Function to get the label text for a tab.
+
 - Default: Uses `route.title`
 
 #### `getBadge`
 
 Function to get the badge text for a tab.
+
 - Default: Uses `route.badge`
 
+:::warning
+To display a badge without text (just a dot), you need to pass a string with a space character (`" "`).
+:::
+
 #### `getActiveTintColor`
 
 Function to get the active tint color for a tab.
+
 - Default: Uses `route.activeTintColor`
 
 #### `getIcon`
@@ -230,7 +249,6 @@ Function to get the icon for a tab.
 
 - Default: Uses `route.focusedIcon` and `route.unfocusedIcon`
 
-
 #### `getHidden`
 
 Function to determine if a tab should be hidden.
@@ -240,4 +258,5 @@ Function to determine if a tab should be hidden.
 #### `getTestID`
 
 Function to get the test ID for a tab item.
+
 - Default: Uses `route.testID`

docs/docs/docs/guides/usage-with-react-navigation.mdx

@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ Controls how the tab bar behaves when content is scrolled.
 Options:
 - `automatic`: Platform determines the behavior
 - `onScrollDown`: Tab bar minimizes when scrolling down
-- `onScrollUp`: Tab bar minimizes when scrolling up  
+- `onScrollUp`: Tab bar minimizes when scrolling up
 - `never`: Tab bar never minimizes
 
 :::note
@@ -298,6 +298,10 @@ tabBarIcon: () => require('person.svgx')
 
 Badge to show on the tab icon.
 
+:::warning
+To display a badge without text (just a dot), you need to pass a string with a space character (`" "`).
+:::
+
 #### `tabBarItemHidden`
 
 Whether the tab bar item is hidden.

packages/react-native-bottom-tabs/android/src/main/java/com/rcttabview/RCTTabView.kt

@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ class ReactBottomNavigationView(context: Context) : LinearLayout(context) {
         }
       }
 
-      if (item.badge.isNotEmpty()) {
+      if (item.badge?.isNotEmpty() == true) {
         val badge = bottomNavigation.getOrCreateBadge(index)
         badge.isVisible = true
         badge.text = item.badge

packages/react-native-bottom-tabs/android/src/main/java/com/rcttabview/RCTTabViewImpl.kt

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import com.rcttabview.events.TabLongPressEvent
 data class TabInfo(
   val key: String,
   val title: String,
-  val badge: String,
+  val badge: String?,
   val activeTintColor: Int?,
   val hidden: Boolean,
   val testID: String?
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class RCTTabViewImpl {
             TabInfo(
               key = item.getString("key") ?: "",
               title = item.getString("title") ?: "",
-              badge = item.getString("badge") ?: "",
+              badge = if (item.hasKey("badge")) item.getString("badge") else null,
               activeTintColor = if (item.hasKey("activeTintColor")) item.getInt("activeTintColor") else null,
               hidden = if (item.hasKey("hidden")) item.getBoolean("hidden") else false,
               testID = item.getString("testID")

packages/react-native-bottom-tabs/ios/TabViewImpl.swift

@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@
     attributes[.font] = RCTFont.update(
       nil,
       withFamily: family,
       size: NSNumber(value: size),
       weight: weight,
       style: nil,
       variant: nil,
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@
   @ViewBuilder
   func tabBadge(_ data: String?) -> some View {
     if #available(iOS 15.0, macOS 15.0, visionOS 2.0, tvOS 15.0, *) {
-      if let data, !data.isEmpty {
+      if let data {
 #if !os(tvOS)
         self.badge(data)
 #else

packages/react-native-bottom-tabs/ios/TabViewProvider.swift

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import SwiftUI
 public final class TabInfo: NSObject {
   public let key: String
   public let title: String
-  public let badge: String
+  public let badge: String?
   public let sfSymbol: String
   public let activeTintColor: PlatformColor?
   public let hidden: Bool
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ public final class TabInfo: NSObject {
   public init(
     key: String,
     title: String,
-    badge: String,
+    badge: String?,
     sfSymbol: String,
     activeTintColor: PlatformColor?,
     hidden: Bool,
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ public final class TabInfo: NSObject {
           TabInfo(
             key: itemDict["key"] as? String ?? "",
             title: itemDict["title"] as? String ?? "",
-            badge: itemDict["badge"] as? String ?? "",
+            badge: itemDict["badge"] as? String,
             sfSymbol: itemDict["sfSymbol"] as? String ?? "",
             activeTintColor: RCTConvert.uiColor(itemDict["activeTintColor"] as? NSNumber),
             hidden: itemDict["hidden"] as? Bool ?? false,

packages/react-native-bottom-tabs/src/TabView.tsx

@@ -175,10 +175,10 @@
   renderScene,
   onIndexChange,
   onTabLongPress,
-  getBadge,
   rippleColor,
   tabBarActiveTintColor: activeTintColor,
   tabBarInactiveTintColor: inactiveTintColor,
+  getBadge = ({ route }: { route: Route }) => route.badge,
   getLazy = ({ route }: { route: Route }) => route.lazy,
   getLabelText = ({ route }: { route: Route }) => route.title,
   getIcon = ({ route, focused }: { route: Route; focused: boolean }) =>
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
 
   if (!loaded.includes(focusedKey)) {
     // Set the current tab to be loaded if it was not loaded before
     setLoaded((loaded) => [...loaded, focusedKey]);
   }
 
   const icons = React.useMemo(