How to Generate Dynamic Placeholder Images with React Image Filler
Tags: react, javascript, nextjs, webdev
Published: 2023-05-30 06:33:35

Have you ever found yourself needing to fill a space in your React application with a placeholder image? Whether it's a space reserved for user avatars or a space for a photo that's still loading, placeholders can help maintain the structure of your UI, preventing the unsightly jumps that can occur when an image finally loads. The react-image-filler package provides a simple and efficient solution to create placeholder images in your React application. It's lightweight, easy to use, and customizable to fit your needs.

## What is react-image-filler?

`react-image-filler` is a React component that generates a placeholder image with a given width and height. It's perfect for instances where you need to preserve the layout of your page even before all the data (like images) has loaded. With a simple API and customizable properties, you can easily adapt the placeholder to fit your application's style.

### Installation

The first step to using `react-image-filler` is to install it. You can do this using either npm or yarn:

With npm:

```bash
npm install react-image-filler --save
```

With yarn:

```bash
yarn add react-image-filler
```

### Basic Usage

To use `react-image-filler` in your React application, you'll need to import the `ImageFiller` component and use it in your JSX code:

```jsx
import ImageFiller from 'react-image-filler';

const App = () => {
    return (
        <div>
            <ImageFiller width={200} height={200} />
        </div>
    );
}
```

In the above example, the ImageFiller component will render a placeholder image of 200px by 200px.

### Customization

One of the key strengths of `react-image-filler` is its customization capability. The component accepts the following props:

* `width` (number): The width of the image. Defaults to 100.
* `height` (number): The height of the image. Defaults to 100.
* `text` (string): The placeholder text of the image.
* `color` (string): The text color of the image. Defaults to #6a6a6a.
* `background` (string): The background color of the image. Defaults to #dddddd.

These props allow you to customize the placeholder to better match the look and feel of your application. For instance, you could create a larger, blue placeholder with the text "Loading..." like so:

```jsx

<ImageFiller width={300} height={300} background="#0000ff" color="#ffffff" text="Loading..." />

```

### How Does It Work?

Under the hood, react-image-filler uses a canvas element to draw the placeholder image. It starts by creating a canvas of the specified width and height, then it fills the canvas with the specified background color. Next, it sets the font and color for the text, aligns it to the center, and draws it in the middle of the canvas. The resulting image is then set as the source of an img element, which is returned by the component.

#### Conclusion

The `react-image-filler` package offers a simple and efficient way to create placeholder images in your React applications. Its simplicity and customization capabilities make it an excellent choice for preserving your layout before all data has loaded. By understanding how it works under the hood, you can leverage its functionality to the fullest and customize it to your needs.

Whether you're building a large-scale application or a small personal project, react-image-filler can be a valuable addition to your toolset. Give it a try and let the placeholder images fill the void in your UI

[react-image-filler repo](https://github.com/remahmoud/react-image-filler)