Here's a table listing some of the best Animation Packages in React Native for August 2023, sorted by popularity / GitHub stars, and maintainability:
| Rank | Popularity / GitHub Stars | Package | Maintainability | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ⭐ 16k | Lottie React Native | ✅ | A library for adding high-quality animations to React Native apps using Lottie, an animation file format that supports JSON-based animations. |
| 2 | ⭐ 7.6k | React Native Reanimated 3 | ✅ | A library for creating smooth, highly performant animations in React Native using the power of the Reanimated 2 framework. |
| 3 | ⭐ 3.5k | Moti | ✅ | The React Native (+ Web) animation library, powered by Reanimated 3. |
| 4 | ⭐ 9.6k | React Native Reanimatable | ✅ | Declarative transitions and animations for React Native |
| 5 | ⭐ - | React Native Animation API | ✅ | The built-in animation library for React Native, offering basic animation capabilities for developers familiar with React. |
| 6 | ⭐ 6.9k | React Native SVG | ✅ | A library for working with SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) in React Native, enabling animations and vector graphics rendering. |
| 7 | ⭐ 5.5k | React Native Gesture Handler | ✅ | A library for handling gestures and touch interactions in React Native, built on top of the Native Driver. |
- Advantages:
- High-quality animations using Lottie files.
- Supports animations created in Adobe After Effects.
- Wide community support and a large collection of pre-built animations.
- Disadvantages:
- Large Lottie files may affect app size.
- Complex animations may require extra configuration.
- When to use:
- When you need high-quality, complex animations in your app.
- Ideal for apps with engaging and dynamic user interfaces.
- Advantages:
- Offers high-performance animations with a flexible API.
- Optimized for smooth animations and gesture handling.
- Works well for complex, interactive animations.
- Disadvantages:
- May have a steeper learning curve for beginners.
- Requires careful management of reanimated components.
- When to use:
- For apps that require smooth and interactive animations.
- When you need advanced control over animations.
- Highlights:
- Universal: works on all platforms
- 60 FPS animations on the native thread
- Mount/unmount animations, like framer-motion
- Powered by Reanimated 3
- Web support, out-of-the-box
- Expo support
- Intuitive API
- Variants
- Strong TypeScript support
- Highly-configurable animations
- Sequence animations
- Loop & repeat animations
- Advantages:
- Built-in animation library for React Native.
- Suitable for basic animations and transitions.
- No additional library installation required.
- Disadvantages:
- Limited in capabilities compared to specialized animation libraries.
- May not be suitable for complex animations.
- When to use:
- For simple animations and transitions.
- When you want to avoid adding external libraries.
- Advantages:
- Enables the use of SVG for animations and vector graphics.
- Provides compatibility with SVG files and animations.
- Useful for creating vector-based animations.
- Disadvantages:
- Requires some knowledge of SVG markup and concepts.
- Limited to SVG-based animations.
- When to use:
- When you need vector-based animations and graphics.
- For apps that require compatibility with SVG files.
- Declarative transitions and animations for React Native
- Advantages:
- A library for handling gestures and touch interactions in React Native.
- Provides smooth, high-performance gesture recognition.
- Built on top of the Native Driver for optimal performance.
- Disadvantages:
- May require careful handling to avoid gesture conflicts.
- Learning curve for developers new to gesture handling.
- When to use:
- For projects that need precise gesture control and smooth touch interactions.
- Suitable for apps with custom swipe, pinch, or rotation gestures.