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Location permission

Learn to ask for location permission.

Location permission

Location permission is the approval required for the app to receive GPS data. It is requested with Permissions.askAsync(Permissions.LOCATION). If status === 'granted' the location can be fetched; otherwise the map or nearby places feature will not work.

Location permission has two types: foreground (while the app is open) and background (when closed). In Expo Permissions.LOCATION is for foreground; background needs extra setup. Background location is more sensitive; users are more cautious about it. That is why it should be requested only when truly needed. Location is personal data; asking with a good explanation keeps user trust.

Foreground vs background

Foreground location reads GPS data while the app is open on screen. Permissions.LOCATION gives this. It is enough for showing a map, listing nearby places.

Background location reads location even when the app is closed. This is needed for apps that require continuous tracking like navigation or fitness. It is more sensitive; App Store and Play Store review it strictly. Background location requires UIBackgroundModes on iOS and the ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permission on Android. Expo configures these in app.json. Asking for background location without need can be intrusive enough to drive users away.

Practice Write requestLocationPermission

Write a requestLocationPermission function. Make it async. Call Permissions.askAsync(Permissions.LOCATION) with await; return status.

Starter code

App.js
// Write the requestLocationPermission function
// Ask LOCATION permission with Permissions.askAsync; give back the status

Sample solution

App.js
async function requestLocationPermission() {
  const { status } = await Permissions.askAsync(Permissions.LOCATION);
  return status;
}

Questions and answers

Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.

1 Match each type to its role

Term Meaning
Permissions.LOCATION Foreground location
background Location while closed
GPS Location source
'granted' Permission given

2 LOCATION permission

Question 
await Permissions.askAsync(Permissions.____);
Answer 
await Permissions.askAsync(Permissions.LOCATION);

Explanation: Permissions.LOCATION is the location permission.

3 Why is location permission requested?

App.js
Permissions.askAsync(Permissions.LOCATION);
  • To get GPS data Correct answer
  • To press a button
  • To send notifications
  • To store files

Explanation: Location permission is requested to get GPS data.

All lessons in Intermediate

1 Hooks

  1. useEffect
  2. Dependency array
  3. Cleanup
  4. useRef
  5. useMemo
  6. Summary - Hooks

2 Custom hooks

  1. Custom hook
  2. useToggle
  3. useCounter
  4. usePrevious
  5. Hook composition
  6. Summary - Custom hooks

3 Context

  1. What is Context?
  2. createContext
  3. Provider
  4. useContext
  5. Context default
  6. Summary - Context

4 Project: Notes app

  1. Project design
  2. Note model
  3. Adding notes
  4. AsyncStorage
  5. Putting it together

5 useReducer

  1. useReducer
  2. Reducer function
  3. Action dispatch
  4. Initial state
  5. useReducer vs useState
  6. Summary - useReducer

6 Form handling

  1. Controlled form
  2. Form state
  3. Validation
  4. Submit
  5. Form libraries
  6. Summary - Form handling

7 API and fetch

  1. fetch
  2. GET request
  3. async/await
  4. JSON parse
  5. Error handling
  6. Summary - API and fetch

8 Project: Quiz app

  1. Quiz model
  2. Loading questions
  3. Running the quiz
  4. Score calculation
  5. Putting it together

9 Tab navigation

  1. Bottom Tabs
  2. createBottomTabNavigator
  3. Tab icons
  4. Material Top Tabs
  5. Tab badge
  6. Summary - Tab navigation

10 Drawer navigation

  1. Drawer navigator
  2. createDrawerNavigator
  3. Drawer items
  4. Drawer toggle
  5. Nested navigation
  6. Summary - Drawer navigation

11 Lifecycle

  1. Mount
  2. Update
  3. Unmount
  4. useEffect lifecycle
  5. Layout effect
  6. Summary - Lifecycle

12 Project: E-commerce

  1. Project design
  2. Product list
  3. Product detail
  4. Cart
  5. Putting it together

13 Animated

  1. Animated.Value
  2. Animated.View
  3. Animated.timing
  4. Animated.spring
  5. interpolate
  6. Summary - Animated

14 Gestures

  1. PanResponder
  2. onMoveShouldSetPanResponder
  3. onPanResponderMove
  4. onPanResponderRelease
  5. react-native-gesture-handler
  6. Summary - Gestures

15 Theme

  1. Light/dark theme
  2. Theme context
  3. Theme toggle
  4. useColorScheme
  5. Persistent theme
  6. Summary - Theme

16 Performance

  1. React.memo
  2. useCallback
  3. useMemo
  4. FlatList optimization
  5. InteractionManager
  6. Summary - Performance

17 Testing

  1. Jest
  2. React Native Testing Library
  3. render
  4. getByText
  5. fireEvent
  6. Summary - Testing

18 Dev tools

  1. Flipper
  2. React DevTools
  3. Console
  4. Remote debug
  5. Performance monitor
  6. Summary - Dev tools

19 Permissions

  1. What are permissions?
  2. expo-permissions
  3. Camera permission
  4. Location permission
  5. Notification permission
  6. Summary - Permissions

20 Intermediate final

  1. Project design
  2. Context and hooks
  3. API integration
  4. Navigation
  5. Putting it together