react-native-image-picker vs react-native-vision-camera vs react-native-camera vs react-native-camera-kit
React Native Camera Libraries Comparison
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react-native-image-pickerreact-native-vision-camerareact-native-camerareact-native-camera-kitSimilar Packages:
What's React Native Camera Libraries?

These libraries provide various functionalities for integrating camera features into React Native applications. They enable developers to access device cameras for capturing images, scanning barcodes, and recording videos, enhancing user interaction and functionality within mobile apps. Each library offers unique features and performance characteristics, catering to different use cases and developer preferences.

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react-native-image-picker395,5478,517188 kB3062 days agoMIT
react-native-vision-camera280,9267,9951.15 MB2133 months agoMIT
react-native-camera84,1529,641-1443 years agoMIT AND Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause
react-native-camera-kit15,1192,526350 kB997 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-native-image-picker vs react-native-vision-camera vs react-native-camera vs react-native-camera-kit

Camera Functionality

  • react-native-image-picker:

    This package specializes in selecting images and videos from the device's library or capturing new media. It does not provide direct camera functionalities but offers a simple interface for media selection, making it easy for users to upload content.

  • react-native-vision-camera:

    This package focuses on high-performance camera access, providing advanced features like frame processing and custom camera views. It is designed for applications that require real-time processing and offers a modern API for better performance.

  • react-native-camera:

    This package offers extensive camera functionalities, including support for various resolutions, camera types (front and back), barcode scanning, and face detection. It allows for fine-tuning of camera settings such as flash mode, white balance, and exposure, providing a robust solution for complex camera needs.

  • react-native-camera-kit:

    This library provides essential camera features such as capturing photos and videos, with a focus on simplicity and ease of integration. It supports basic functionalities like switching between front and back cameras but lacks advanced features like barcode scanning or face detection.

Performance

  • react-native-image-picker:

    As it primarily focuses on media selection rather than real-time camera access, this package is generally performant and does not impose significant overhead, ensuring a smooth user experience when selecting images or videos.

  • react-native-vision-camera:

    This package is optimized for performance, allowing for real-time camera processing and frame analysis. It is designed to handle high frame rates and low latency, making it ideal for applications that require immediate feedback from the camera.

  • react-native-camera:

    While feature-rich, this package may have performance overhead due to its extensive functionalities. Proper optimization and management of camera resources are necessary to ensure smooth performance, especially in resource-intensive applications.

  • react-native-camera-kit:

    This library is lightweight and optimized for basic camera functionalities, ensuring good performance for simple use cases. It is less resource-intensive compared to more feature-rich libraries, making it suitable for straightforward applications.

Ease of Use

  • react-native-image-picker:

    This package is straightforward to use, providing a simple API for media selection. Developers can quickly implement it with minimal setup, making it a popular choice for basic media functionalities.

  • react-native-vision-camera:

    While powerful, this package may require a deeper understanding of modern React Native practices. Its advanced features may necessitate additional learning, but it offers flexibility for developers familiar with performance optimization.

  • react-native-camera:

    This package has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive features and configurations. Developers may need to invest time in understanding its API and capabilities to fully utilize its functionalities.

  • react-native-camera-kit:

    Designed for simplicity, this library is easy to integrate and use, making it suitable for developers looking for quick implementation without the need for complex configurations.

Community and Support

  • react-native-image-picker:

    This package enjoys widespread use and has a strong community backing, providing numerous resources, tutorials, and support channels for developers.

  • react-native-vision-camera:

    This library is gaining popularity and has an active community. Its modern architecture and performance focus attract developers, leading to growing support and resources.

  • react-native-camera:

    This library has a large community and extensive documentation, making it easier to find support and resources. The active development and frequent updates contribute to its reliability.

  • react-native-camera-kit:

    With a smaller community, this package may have limited resources compared to others. However, it is still maintained and offers basic documentation for developers.

Customization

  • react-native-image-picker:

    Customization is limited to the media selection interface, as it does not provide direct camera functionalities. It is designed for straightforward media handling without extensive customization.

  • react-native-vision-camera:

    This package provides significant customization capabilities, allowing developers to create custom camera views and implement advanced features like frame processing, making it ideal for specialized applications.

  • react-native-camera:

    Highly customizable, this package allows developers to adjust camera settings and behaviors extensively, making it suitable for applications that require tailored camera experiences.

  • react-native-camera-kit:

    Offers limited customization options compared to others, focusing on simplicity rather than extensive configurability.

How to Choose: react-native-image-picker vs react-native-vision-camera vs react-native-camera vs react-native-camera-kit
  • react-native-image-picker:

    Opt for this package if your primary need is to allow users to select images or videos from their device's library or capture new media. It is user-friendly and provides a simple interface for media selection.

  • react-native-vision-camera:

    Choose this package for high-performance camera access with a focus on modern React Native architecture. It offers advanced features like frame processing and is optimized for performance, making it suitable for applications that require real-time camera processing.

  • react-native-camera:

    Choose this package if you need a comprehensive camera solution with extensive features such as barcode scanning, face detection, and customizable camera controls. It is well-suited for applications requiring advanced camera functionalities.

  • react-native-camera-kit:

    Select this package for a more straightforward and lightweight camera integration with a focus on ease of use and simplicity. It is ideal for projects that require basic camera functionalities without the overhead of advanced features.

README for react-native-image-picker

react-native-image-picker 🎆

A React Native module that allows you to select a photo/video from the device library or camera.

npm downloads npm package License

Installation

yarn add react-native-image-picker

New Architecture

To take advantage of the new architecture run-

iOS

RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED=1 npx pod-install ios

Android

Set newArchEnabled to true inside android/gradle.properties

Pre-Fabric (AKA not using the new architecture)

npx pod-install ios

Post-install Steps

iOS

Add the appropriate keys to your Info.plist depending on your requirement:

| Requirement | Key | | ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------- | | Select image/video from photos | NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription | | Capture Image | NSCameraUsageDescription | | Capture Video | NSCameraUsageDescription & NSMicrophoneUsageDescription |

Android

No permissions required (saveToPhotos requires permission check).

Note: This library does not require Manifest.permission.CAMERA, if your app declares as using this permission in manifest then you have to obtain the permission before using launchCamera.

Targeting Android API Levels Below 30

If your app's minSdkVersion is set to below 30 and it does not already include or depend on androidx.activity:activity:1.9.+ or a newer version, you'll need to add the following line to the dependencies section of your app/build.gradle file to ensure support for the backported AndroidX Photo Picker:

dependencies {
    ...
    implementation("androidx.activity:activity:1.9.+")
    ...
}

Additionally, you may need to update your AndroidManifest.xml to trigger the installation of the backported Photo Picker. For reference, you can check the example app's configuration in example/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml and example/android/app/build.gradle.

For more details, consult the Android documentation on AndroidX Photo Picker: https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/photopicker

API Reference

Methods

import {launchCamera, launchImageLibrary} from 'react-native-image-picker';

launchCamera()

Launch camera to take photo or video.

launchCamera(options?, callback);

// You can also use as a promise without 'callback':
const result = await launchCamera(options?);

See Options for further information on options.

The callback will be called with a response object, refer to The Response Object.

launchImageLibrary

Launch gallery to pick image or video.

launchImageLibrary(options?, callback)

// You can also use as a promise without 'callback':
const result = await launchImageLibrary(options?);

See Options for further information on options.

The callback will be called with a response object, refer to The Response Object.

Options

| Option | iOS | Android | Web | Description | | ----------------------- | --- | ------- | --- |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | mediaType | OK | OK | OK | photo or video or mixed(launchCamera on Android does not support 'mixed'). Web only supports 'photo' for now. | | maxWidth | OK | OK | NO | To resize the image. | | maxHeight | OK | OK | NO | To resize the image. | | videoQuality | OK | OK | NO | low, medium, or high on iOS, low or high on Android. | | durationLimit | OK | OK | NO | Video max duration (in seconds). | | quality | OK | OK | NO | 0 to 1, photos. | | conversionQuality | NO | OK | NO | For conversion from HEIC/HEIF to JPEG, 0 to 1. Default is 0.92 | | cameraType | OK | OK | NO | 'back' or 'front' (May not be supported in few android devices). | | includeBase64 | OK | OK | OK | If true, creates base64 string of the image (Avoid using on large image files due to performance). | | includeExtra | OK | OK | NO | If true, will include extra data which requires library permissions to be requested (i.e. exif data). | | saveToPhotos | OK | OK | NO | (Boolean) Only for launchCamera, saves the image/video file captured to public photo. | | selectionLimit | OK | OK | OK | Supports providing any integer value. Use 0 to allow any number of files on iOS version >= 14 & Android version >= 13. Default is 1. | | presentationStyle | OK | NO | NO | Controls how the picker is presented. currentContext, pageSheet, fullScreen, formSheet, popover, overFullScreen, overCurrentContext. Default is currentContext. | | formatAsMp4 | OK | NO | NO | Converts the selected video to MP4 (iOS Only). | | assetRepresentationMode | OK | OK | NO | A mode that determines which representation to use if an asset contains more than one on iOS or disables HEIC/HEIF to JPEG conversion on Android if set to 'current'. Possible values: 'auto', 'current', 'compatible'. Default is 'auto'. |

The Response Object

| key | iOS | Android | Web | Description | | ------------ | --- | ------- | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | didCancel | OK | OK | OK | true if the user cancelled the process | | errorCode | OK | OK | OK | Check ErrorCode for all error codes | | errorMessage | OK | OK | OK | Description of the error, use it for debug purpose only | | assets | OK | OK | OK | Array of the selected media, refer to Asset Object |

Asset Object

| key | iOS | Android | Web | Photo/Video | Requires Permissions | Description | | --------- | --- | ------- | --- | ----------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | base64 | OK | OK | OK | PHOTO ONLY | NO | The base64 string of the image (photos only) | | uri | OK | OK | OK | BOTH | NO | The file uri in app specific cache storage. Except when picking video from Android gallery where you will get read only content uri, to get file uri in this case copy the file to app specific storage using any react-native library. For web it uses the base64 as uri. | | originalPath | NO | OK | NO | BOTH | NO | The original file path. | | width | OK | OK | OK | BOTH | NO | Asset dimensions | | height | OK | OK | OK | BOTH | NO | Asset dimensions | | fileSize | OK | OK | NO | BOTH | NO | The file size | | type | OK | OK | NO | BOTH | NO | The file type | | fileName | OK | OK | NO | BOTH | NO | The file name | | duration | OK | OK | NO | VIDEO ONLY | NO | The selected video duration in seconds | | bitrate | --- | OK | NO | VIDEO ONLY | NO | The average bitrate (in bits/sec) of the selected video, if available. (Android only) | | timestamp | OK | OK | NO | BOTH | YES | Timestamp of the asset. Only included if 'includeExtra' is true | | id | OK | OK | NO | BOTH | YES | local identifier of the photo or video. On Android, this is the same as fileName |

Note on file storage

Image/video captured via camera will be stored in temporary folder allowing it to be deleted any time, so don't expect it to persist. Use saveToPhotos: true (default is false) to save the file in the public photos. saveToPhotos requires WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission on Android 28 and below (The permission has to obtained by the App manually as the library does not handle that).

For web, this doesn't work.

ErrorCode

| Code | Description | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | | camera_unavailable | Camera not available on device | | permission | Permission not satisfied | | others | Other errors (check errorMessage for description) |

License

MIT