Android CMake build fails: "Cannot specify link libraries for target 'react_codegen_lottiereactnative'" with NitroModules and autolinking

[Leo-8991]

Description

Environment:

React Native version: 0.82 (or your exact version)
Gradle: 8.13
Android NDK: 27.1.12297006
CMake: 3.22.1
NitroModules: enabled
Key native modules: lottie-react-native, react-native-config, react-native-gesture-handler

Description:
After upgrading React Native and enabling NitroModules, the Android build fails with CMake errors related to autolinking and codegen for native modules. All known workarounds (dummy/empty CMakeLists.txt, dummy.cpp, directory creation) have been applied, but the error persists.

Steps to reproduce

1. Upgrade to React Native 0.82+ with NitroModules enabled.
2. Add lottie-react-native, react-native-config, and react-native-gesture-handler as dependencies.
3. Run yarn android or npx react-native run-android.
4. Observe the build failure.

CMake Error at .../Android-autolinking.cmake:13 (add_subdirectory):
The source directory .../lottie-react-native/android/build/generated/source/codegen/jni
does not contain a CMakeLists.txt file.

CMake Error at .../ReactNative-application.cmake:97 (target_link_libraries):
Cannot specify link libraries for target "react_codegen_lottiereactnative"
which is not built by this project.

Workarounds attempted:
Created dummy/empty CMakeLists.txt and dummy.cpp in all affected codegen/jni folders.
Cleaned all build outputs and re-ran the build.
Tried both dummy and empty CMakeLists.txt files.
The error persists.
Expected behavior:

The build should succeed, or the autolinking system should not emit broken CMake for modules without codegen output.
Additional context:

This appears to be a regression or bug in the autolinking/CMake integration for new architecture builds.

React Native Version

0.82.1

Affected Platforms

Runtime - Android

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: macOS 26.3.1
  CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M4
  Memory: 107.75 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 20.20.0
    path: /Users/Karthik/.nvm/versions/node/v20.20.0/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 11.12.1
    path: /Users/Karthik/.nvm/versions/node/v20.20.0/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2026.03.30.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/lib/ruby/gems/3.4.0/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 25.4
      - iOS 26.4
      - macOS 26.4
      - tvOS 26.4
      - visionOS 26.4
      - watchOS 26.4
  Android SDK:
    API Levels:
      - "33"
      - "34"
      - "35"
      - "36"
    Build Tools:
      - 30.0.3
      - 33.0.2
      - 34.0.0
      - 35.0.0
      - 36.0.0
    System Images:
      - android-35 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-36 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-36 | Pre-Release 16 KB Page Size Google Play ARM 64 v8a
    Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.3 AI-253.31033.145.2533.15113396
  Xcode:
    version: 26.4/17E192
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.18
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/openjdk@17/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 4.0.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/ruby/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.0.0
    wanted: 20.0.0
  react:
    installed: 19.1.1
    wanted: 19.1.1
  react-native:
    installed: 0.82.1
    wanted: 0.82.1
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: false
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true

Stacktrace or Logs

CMake error:

CMake Error at /Users/Karthik/Documents/GitHub/QuitIt/node_modules/lottie-react-native/android/build/generated/source/codegen/jni/CMakeLists.txt:7 (add_library):
  add_library cannot create target "react_codegen_lottiereactnative" because
  another target with the same name already exists. The existing target is a
  static library created in source directory
  "/Users/Karthik/Documents/GitHub/QuitIt/node_modules/lottie-react-native/android/build/generated/source/codegen/jni".
  See documentation for policy CMP0002 for more details.

CMake Error at /Users/Karthik/Documents/GitHub/QuitIt/node_modules/react-native/ReactAndroid/cmake-utils/ReactNative-application.cmake:97 (target_link_libraries):
  Cannot specify link libraries for target "react_codegen_RNCConfigSpec"
  which is not built by this project.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:31 (include)



Gradle exception:

Execution failed for task ':app:configureCMakeDebug[arm64-v8a]'.
> [CXX1429] error when building with cmake using .../CMakeLists.txt: ...
  -- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
  See also ".../CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
  See also ".../CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log".
Caused by: com.android.ide.common.process.ProcessException: Error while executing process .../cmake with arguments {...}
Caused by: org.gradle.process.internal.ExecException: Process 'command .../cmake'' finished with non-zero exit value 1

MANDATORY Reproducer

Failure occurs in my app not RNTester

Screenshots and Videos

No response

[react-native-bot]

Warning

Unsupported version: It looks like your issue or the example you provided uses an unsupported version of React Native.

Due to the number of issues we receive, we're currently only accepting new issues against one of the supported versions. Please upgrade to latest and verify if the issue persists (alternatively, create a new project and repro the issue in it). If you cannot upgrade, please open your issue on StackOverflow to get further community support.

[react-native-bot]

Warning

Unsupported version: It looks like your issue or the example you provided uses an unsupported version of React Native.

Due to the number of issues we receive, we're currently only accepting new issues against one of the supported versions. Please upgrade to latest and verify if the issue persists (alternatively, create a new project and repro the issue in it). If you cannot upgrade, please open your issue on StackOverflow to get further community support.

[react-native-bot]

Warning

Missing reproducer: We could not detect a reproducible example in your issue report. Reproducers are mandatory and we can accept only one of those as a valid reproducer:

• For majority of bugs: send us a Pull Request with the RNTesterPlayground.js edited to reproduce your bug.
• If your bug is UI related: a Snack
• If your bug is build/upgrade related: a project using our Reproducer Template

You can read more about about it on our website: How to report a bug.