A Beginner’s Guide to Animations in React Native

3. Reanimated

Reanimated is a popular third-party library built for smoother and more performant animations, especially in gesture-heavy apps. Unlike the default Animated API, it runs animations on the UI thread, preventing frame drops even when the JavaScript thread is busy. This makes it the go-to choice for fluid, high-performance interactions.

• Runs animations on the UI thread for better performance

• Ideal for gesture-based interactions like swipes and drags

• Supports complex physics-based animations

• Reduces lag and improves frame consistency in demanding apps

4. Library-Assisted Animations

Library-assisted animation approaches use specialized tools and frameworks that simplify complex animation logic. These libraries often provide prebuilt effects, reusable motion components, and integration with design assets, which can significantly speed up development. They are especially useful when you want high-quality visuals without reinventing the wheel, especially with React Native UI libraries.

• Includes tools like Lottie React Native, React Native Animatable, and Moti

• Offers prebuilt transitions, micro-interactions, and animated components

• Can integrate directly with exported animations from design tools like After Effects

• Saves time for developers by reducing manual coding for animations

Getting Started with the Animated API

The Animated API is React Native’s native tool for building smooth, customizable animations. It works by creating animated values that can be linked to style properties, allowing you to change them over time using different animation types. This gives you fine-grained control over transitions, gestures, and complex motion effects without relying on external libraries, supported by helpful development toolkits.

To start using it, you typically follow three main steps:

1. Create an Animated Value – This is a special object that holds the value you want to animate, such as position, scale, or opacity.

2. Define an Animation – Use helpers like Animated.timing, Animated.spring, or Animated.decay to specify how the value should change over time.

3. Apply the Animation – Bind the animated value to a style property of an Animated.View or Animated.Text so it updates visually as the animation runs.

Example: Fading in a View

import React, { useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
import { Animated, View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
export default function FadeInView() {
  const fadeAnim = useRef(new Animated.Value(0)).current; // Initial opacity is 0
  useEffect(() => {
    Animated.timing(fadeAnim, {
      toValue: 1,
      duration: 1000,
      useNativeDriver: true
    }).start();
  }, [fadeAnim]);
  return (
    <Animated.View style={[styles.box, { opacity: fadeAnim }]} />
  );
}
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  box: {
    width: 100,
    height: 100,
    backgroundColor: 'tomato'
  }
});

Key things to remember when using the Animated API:

• Always wrap the target element with an Animated component like Animated.View or Animated.Text

• Choose the right animation type (timing, spring, decay) based on the motion effect you want

• Use useNativeDriver: true for better performance on supported properties

• Chain animations together using Animated.sequence or run them in parallel with Animated.parallel

Creating Easy Transitions with LayoutAnimation

LayoutAnimation is a built-in API in React Native that helps you animate layout changes without managing every single animation step. When the layout of a component changes, LayoutAnimation applies a transition so the change feels smooth instead of abrupt.

It works by applying an animation whenever a change occurs in the position or size of a component. This means you do not need to manually handle each property. Once you enable it, React Native automatically detects changes in the layout and animates them for you.

One common example is animating a list item when it is added or removed. Without LayoutAnimation, the new item would simply appear or disappear instantly. With it, the item slides or fades into place.

Here are a few ways LayoutAnimation can be used effectively

• Adding or removing items in a list without sudden jumps

• Expanding and collapsing sections in a view

• Adjusting UI components when screen orientation changes

• Creating smooth reordering effects for draggable elements

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { View, Button, LayoutAnimation, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
export default function App() {
  const [size, setSize] = useState(100);
  const changeSize = () => {
    LayoutAnimation.configureNext(LayoutAnimation.Presets.easeInEaseOut);
    setSize(size === 100 ? 200 : 100);
  };
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <View style={[styles.box, { width: size, height: size }]} />
      <Button title="Toggle Size" onPress={changeSize} />
    </View>
  );
}
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center'
  },
  box: {
    backgroundColor: 'tomato'
  }
});

In this example, every time the button is pressed, the box size changes with a smooth transition handled by LayoutAnimation.

When to Use Which Animation Approach in React Native

Choosing the right animation method depends on what you are building and the level of control you need. Each approach has strengths and trade-offs.

1. Animated API

Best for creating detailed and highly customizable animations. Use it when you need full control over timing, easing, and movement. It works well for complex UI effects like draggable elements or smooth motion on user gestures. Keep in mind it can be verbose to write but offers precision.

2. LayoutAnimation

Good for simple screen layout changes like expanding cards, showing or hiding sections, or rearranging elements. It automatically animates layout updates without much code. However, it is not suited for complex, interactive animations, though it works well when building an MVP where speed of delivery matters.

3. Reanimated

Useful when you want smooth, native-level performance with complex gestures or physics-based effects. It runs animations on the UI thread which avoids frame drops. Works best for interactive components such as swipeable cards or gesture-driven transitions.

4. Lottie React Native

Ideal for rendering pre-designed animations exported from After Effects. Great for splash screens, loading indicators, or decorative effects. The trade-off is you cannot fully customize the animation logic since it is prebuilt.

Performance Tips for React Native Animations

1. Use the native driver where possible

Animations in React Native can run on the JavaScript thread or the native driver. The native driver moves animation calculations to the native side, which means less work for the JavaScript thread and smoother results, along with other ways to boost app performance. It works best with properties like opacity and transform. Not all styles are supported, so it is important to check the React Native documentation before enabling it.

2. Keep heavy calculations out of the animation loop

An animation runs many frames per second, so anything inside the loop is executed repeatedly. If you calculate complex values in there, it slows down rendering. Always prepare values or process data before starting the animation. This ensures the animation frames are light and fast to draw.

3. Reduce unnecessary state updates

Every time a state change happens, React Native re-renders the affected components. If this happens during an animation, it can cause noticeable lag. Try to limit updates to only what is needed for the animation to run. Using refs or context for non-UI data can help avoid unnecessary re-renders.

4. Test on lower end devices

It is easy to think your animations are smooth when testing on high performance devices. However, many users may have mid-range or older phones. Test your app on slower devices or throttled emulators. This helps you see if animations skip frames or lag under real-world conditions.

5. Prefer transforms over layout changes

Changing layout properties like width, height, or margin forces the layout engine to recalculate positions for many elements. This is more expensive than using transform properties like translate, scale, or rotate. Whenever possible, design your animations to work with transforms instead of layout changes for better speed.

Conclusion

Animations can make a React Native app feel more engaging and easier to use. When done right, they improve how users interact with the interface without slowing down performance. The key is to choose the right animation approach, test often, and avoid unnecessary complexity, which becomes easier when following React Native best practices.

If your project needs more advanced animation work or you want expert guidance to make sure your app performs well across devices, it can help to hire React Native developers who understand both design and performance. Partnering with an experienced mobile app development company gives you access to the right skills and resources to bring your ideas to life, scaling for enterprise-grade needs, with smooth, reliable animations.