NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke interface method 'com.facebook.react.interfaces.fabric.ReactSurface com.facebook.react.ReactHost.createSurface(android.content.Context, java.lang.String, android.os.Bundle)'

[saiyam-zepto-dev]

I am migrating from 0.64 to 0.78.3 and my RN upgrade is complete.
Now i want to enable the new Architecture.

Initially i just turned on the newArch from the newArchEnabled property in build.gradle but that alone did not work.

Now i have made some changes in the mainactivity and mainapplication.java as well.

It gives me an error message as :-

NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke interface method 'com.facebook.react.interfaces.fabric.ReactSurface com.facebook.react.ReactHost.createSurface(android.content.Context, java.lang.String, android.os.Bundle)'

My Mainapplication.java oncreate() method looks like:-

public void onCreate() {
ActivityLifecycleCallback.register(this);
this.registerActivityCallbacks();

AppInitializer initializer = new AppInitializer(getApplicationContext());
initializer.initializePreSuper();

super.onCreate();
try {
  SoLoader.init(this, OpenSourceMergedSoMapping.INSTANCE);
} catch (Exception e) {
}
if (BuildConfig.IS_NEW_ARCHITECTURE_ENABLED) {
  DefaultNewArchitectureEntryPoint.load();
}
initializer.initializePostSuper();

}

Your help is appreciated.

[cortinico]

Without a proper reproducer, it's going to be really hard to help you

[saiyam-zepto-dev]

Providing a reproducer will be a little tough because its a complete production level code of my company.

if i dont use
DefaultNewArchitectureEntryPoint.load();

The app shows me error

If i add this line of code, the build completes and the app crashes even before opening with the error i showed above

Can you just help me with the actual steps needed to enable new architecture if i move from 0.6x to 0.78.3.
Because just enabling the flag in the gradle.properties did not help.

Then further i made changes in the Mainapplication and MainActivity file

Changes:-

[liamjones]

It should just be the newArchEnabled=true flag in android/gradle.properties that controls this for Android in 0.78.

Have you tried an entirely clean build since switching the new architecture flag on?

After changing the flag, I'd recommend deleting node_modules, yarn/npm installing again and then, from the android directory doing a ./gradlew clean. For the iOS side I'd also delete ios/Pods and run the pod install again.

Are you on MMKV 3.0.2+? The readme for that project says .2+ is needed for RN 0.75+

Maybe another 3rd-party module in your app is causing the issue and needs and upgrade? When you get the NullPointerException, what's the full stack trace? Are any of the stack frames for a 3rd-party module?

[saiyam-zepto-dev]

@liamjones Thanks for replying

1.) Yes i tried the clean multiple times
2.) If i MMKV v3 supports new Architecture as per the maintainer's documentation.I am on 3.3.0
3.) The flag is turned on and some other changes as i mentioned like the override of reactRootView and the changes i mentioned above were done
4.) I will share the full trace here :-

interaction: PackageSetting{908165 com.zeptoconsumerapp/10208} -> PackageSetting{1ff0e23 android.auto_generated_rro_vendor__/10076} BLOCKED 2025-07-22 23:34:24.358 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 W Recording new base apk path: /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk Previously recorded 0 base apk paths. 2025-07-22 23:34:24.359 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 I Preparing SO source: DirectApkSoSource[root = [/data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk!/lib/arm64-v8a]] 2025-07-22 23:34:24.370 30092-30148 FA pid-30092 I To enable faster debug mode event logging run: adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app com.zeptoconsumerapp 2025-07-22 23:34:24.416 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 I Preparing SO source: ApplicationSoSource[DirectorySoSource[root = /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 flags = 0]] 2025-07-22 23:34:24.438 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 W Running a recovery step for libappmodules.so due to com.facebook.soloader.SoLoaderDSONotFoundError: couldn't find DSO to load: libappmodules.so existing SO sources: SoSource 0: ApplicationSoSource[DirectorySoSource[root = /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 flags = 0]] SoSource 1: DirectApkSoSource[root = [/data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk!/lib/arm64-v8a]] SoSource 2: DirectorySoSource[root = /system/lib64 flags = 2] SoSource 3: DirectorySoSource[root = /vendor/lib64 flags = 2] Native lib dir: /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 2025-07-22 23:34:24.438 30092-30092 soloader.r...eApkExists pid-30092 W Base apk exists: /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk 2025-07-22 23:34:24.439 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 W Running a recovery step for libappmodules.so due to com.facebook.soloader.SoLoaderDSONotFoundError: couldn't find DSO to load: libappmodules.so existing SO sources: SoSource 0: ApplicationSoSource[DirectorySoSource[root = /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 flags = 0]] SoSource 1: DirectApkSoSource[root = [/data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk!/lib/arm64-v8a]] SoSource 2: DirectorySoSource[root = /system/lib64 flags = 2] SoSource 3: DirectorySoSource[root = /vendor/lib64 flags = 2] Native lib dir: /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 2025-07-22 23:34:24.439 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 W Running a recovery step for libappmodules.so due to com.facebook.soloader.SoLoaderDSONotFoundError: couldn't find DSO to load: libappmodules.so existing SO sources: SoSource 0: ApplicationSoSource[DirectorySoSource[root = /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 flags = 0]] SoSource 1: DirectApkSoSource[root = [/data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk!/lib/arm64-v8a]] SoSource 2: DirectorySoSource[root = /system/lib64 flags = 3] SoSource 3: DirectorySoSource[root = /vendor/lib64 flags = 3] Native lib dir: /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 2025-07-22 23:34:24.440 30092-30092 SoLoader pid-30092 W Running a recovery step for libappmodules.so due to com.facebook.soloader.SoLoaderDSONotFoundError: couldn't find DSO to load: libappmodules.so existing SO sources: SoSource 0: ApplicationSoSource[DirectorySoSource[root = /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 flags = 0]] SoSource 1: DirectApkSoSource[root = [/data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/base.apk!/lib/arm64-v8a]] SoSource 2: DirectorySoSource[root = /system/lib64 flags = 3] SoSource 3: DirectorySoSource[root = /vendor/lib64 flags = 3] Native lib dir: /data/app/~~7t2mMGvdbZlYXhdOh_WvZg==/com.zeptoconsumerapp-xLYQMeu6XG6phfqRklDllQ==/lib/arm64 2025-07-22 23:34:24.494 30092-30092 AndroidRuntime pid-30092 E FATAL EXCEPTION: main Process: com.zeptoconsumerapp, PID: 30092 java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.zeptoconsumerapp/com.zeptoconsumerapp.MainActivity}: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke interface method 'com.facebook.react.interfaces.fabric.ReactSurface com.facebook.react.ReactHost.createSurface(android.content.Context, java.lang.String, android.os.Bundle)' on a null object reference at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3782) at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3922) at android.app.servertransaction.LaunchActivityItem.execute(LaunchActivityItem.java:103) at android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.executeCallbacks(TransactionExecutor.java:139) at android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.execute(TransactionExecutor.java:96) at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2443) at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106) at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:205) at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:294) at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:8177) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:552) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:971) Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke interface method 'com.facebook.react.interfaces.fabric.ReactSurface com.facebook.react.ReactHost.createSurface(android.content.Context, java.lang.String, android.os.Bundle)' on a null object reference at com.facebook.react.ReactDelegate.loadApp(ReactDelegate.java:293) at com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate.loadApp(ReactActivityDelegate.java:155) at com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate.lambda$onCreate$0(ReactActivityDelegate.java:149) at com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate.$r8$lambda$HPdXfLmAU1y4Wc1XbwAHziPP2WA(Unknown Source:0) at com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate$$ExternalSyntheticLambda0.run(D8$$SyntheticClass:0) at com.facebook.systrace.Systrace.traceSection(Systrace.kt:39) at com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate.onCreate(ReactActivityDelegate.java:117) at com.facebook.react.ReactActivity.onCreate(ReactActivity.java:47) at com.zeptoconsumerapp.MainActivity.onCreate(MainActivity.java:88) at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:8595) at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:8573) at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1456) at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3764) at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3922)  at android.app.servertransaction.LaunchActivityItem.execute(LaunchActivityItem.java:103)  at android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.executeCallbacks(TransactionExecutor.java:139)  at android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.execute(TransactionExecutor.java:96)  at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2443)  at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)  at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:205)  at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:294)  at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:8177)  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)  at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:552)  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:971)