Animations in React Native
Tags: reactnative, javascript, animation, typescript
Published: 2023-06-02 11:49:24

## "FPS Delayed is UX Denied" - Holmes

Animations bring motion to life and play a significant role in enhancing the overall user experience of applications. While some may consider animations optional, they are actually essential for creating an engaging user interface.

Here are several reasons why animations are vital:

**Visual feedback and communication:** Animations provide immediate and intuitive visual feedback to users, improving their understanding and interaction with the application.

**Enhanced user experience:** Well-designed animations make interactions feel smooth and fluid, greatly enhancing the overall user experience.

**Branding and personality:** Animations contribute to a software's branding and personality by creating a unique and memorable visual identity.

**Emotional connection:** Well-executed animations can evoke emotional responses from users, generating feelings of joy, surprise, or delight.

And much more...

Implementing animations in React Native can be challenging, particularly due to JavaScript's single-threaded nature.

### Let's explore various ways to implement animations in React Native:
![excitement](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/fy6s8jtz6ie1b5wknu8g.gif)
<br/>
#### Animated API
I recommend using the [Animated API](https://reactnative.dev/docs/animated?syntax=functional) for simple animations. However, it's important not to rely on it excessively. Make sure to set the `useNativeDriver` property to `true`, which offloads all animation-related tasks to the native side before starting the animation. The useNativeDriver supports animating properties such as `transform`, `opacity`, and `Animated.event`.
<br/>

#### React Native Reanimated

When it comes to animations in React Native, the recommended approach is using [React Native Reanimated](https://docs.swmansion.com/react-native-reanimated). This library allows you to create `60FPS` `native-like` animations. By combining `react-native-reanimated` with [react-native-svg](https://github.com/software-mansion/react-native-svg) or [react-native-skia](https://shopify.github.io/react-native-skia), you can create vector animations.
<br/>

#### Layout Animation

Layout animation in React Native refers to automatically animating layout changes. You can implement layout animations using both the [LayoutAnimation](https://reactnative.dev/docs/layoutanimation) API of React Native and [Reanimated](https://docs.swmansion.com/react-native-reanimated/docs/fundamentals/layout_animations/).
<br/>

#### Lottie Animations

Lottie animations are lightweight and scalable. You can incorporate these animations into your applications by simply installing [Lottie React Native](https://github.com/lottie-react-native/lottie-react-native) and adding any desired animation. You can download Lottie animations from [LottieFiles](https://lottiefiles.com) or other websites, or create your own animations in After Effects and export them as Lottie files.
<br/>

#### Gesture-based Animations

Gesture-based animations allow you to create animations that respond to gestures such as swipes, pinches, or taps. You can implement this type of animation using the [PanResponder API](https://reactnative.dev/docs/next/panresponder) or by combining `reanimated` with [React Native Gesture Handler](https://docs.swmansion.com/react-native-gesture-handler/).
<br/>
#### Other Libraries

There are several other libraries that can help you add animations to your app, such as:

- [Redash](https://wcandillon.gitbook.io/redash/)
- [Moti](https://moti.fyi/)
- [Animatable](https://github.com/oblador/react-native-animatable)
- [Shared Element](react-native-shared-element)
- [React Spring](https://react-spring.dev/)

By exploring these animation techniques and libraries, you can take your React Native applications to the next level and provide users with engaging and delightful