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For React Native developers, modal components have long represented a frustrating trade-off between functionality and performance. Janky animations, limited gesture support, and compatibility headaches plague many existing solutions. Enter react-native-reanimated-modal – a purpose-built library that leverages native capabilities to finally deliver silky-smooth modal experiences.

The Performance Breakthrough

At its core, this library harnesses react-native-reanimated to execute animations at a consistent 60fps on the UI thread, bypassing JavaScript thread limitations that traditionally caused dropped frames. By combining this with react-native-gesture-handler for touch processing, it achieves:

  • Fluid transitions: Choose between fade, slide, or scale animations with configurable timing
  • Natural gestures: Swipe-to-dismiss functionality in any direction (up/down/left/right)
  • Native consistency: Built atop React Native's core Modal component for platform-authentic behavior

"The magic happens by running animations on the UI thread while maintaining the flexibility of React's declarative API," explains the library's architecture. This approach eliminates the telltale stutter developers accept as inevitable in complex transitions.

Beyond Basic Modals

What sets this solution apart is its granular control system. Instead of prescriptive options, developers configure behavior through typed objects:

// Advanced slide animation with directional control
const slideConfig = {
  animation: 'slide',
  duration: 500,
  direction: {
    start: 'down',        // Enters from bottom
    end: ['down', 'right'] // Exits via swipe down/right
  }
};

// Custom swipe sensitivity
const swipeConfig = {
  enabled: true,
  threshold: 80, // Pixel drag distance
  bounceSpringConfig: { stiffness: 300 } // Physics tweaks
};

Demo showcasing buttery-smooth modal transitions and gestures (Source: GitHub repository)

The configuration-first API provides auto-completion and type safety in TypeScript projects – a deliberate design choice for modern development workflows.

Real-World Implementation

Integration follows familiar patterns but with performance enhancements:

npm install react-native-reanimated-modal

Critical setup requires wrapping your root component with gesture handling capabilities:

import { gestureHandlerRootHOC } from 'react-native-gesture-handler';

export default gestureHandlerRootHOC(App);

Basic implementation mirrors standard modal patterns but unlocks advanced capabilities:

<Modal
  visible={visible}
  animationConfig={{ animation: 'scale', duration: 400 }}
  swipeConfig={{ directions: ['down'], threshold: 100 }}
  onHide={() => setVisible(false)}
>
  <View style={styles.modalContent}>
    <Text>Zero-jank content!</Text>
  </View>
</Modal>

Advanced Use Cases

The library shines in complex scenarios like multi-modal stacks – particularly when integrated with React Navigation. Using iOS's FullWindowOverlay, developers can layer modals while maintaining smooth interactions:

// For multi-modal support on iOS
import { FullWindowOverlay } from 'react-native-screens';

const withOverlay = (element) => 
  Platform.OS === 'ios' 
    ? <FullWindowOverlay>{element}</FullWindowOverlay> 
    : element;

// Usage with coverScreen prop
withOverlay(
  <>
    <Modal coverScreen>{/* Modal 1 */}</Modal>
    <Modal coverScreen>{/* Modal 2 */}</Modal>
  </>
);

The New Standard

With bundle size 40% smaller than popular alternatives (validated by bundlephobia scans), zero unnecessary dependencies, and comprehensive documentation, this library solves core pain points without introducing new ones. Its emergence signals a maturation in React Native's ecosystem – where performance-critical components can now match native implementations frame-for-frame.

For teams building animation-heavy interfaces or gesture-driven workflows, this represents more than convenience: it's the elimination of a longstanding performance bottleneck that previously forced compromises in user experience. As modals serve critical user flows from payments to permissions, this leap in quality directly impacts conversion and engagement metrics.

Explore the library: GitHub Repository\
Try the demo: Scan with Expo Go

Source: react-native-reanimated-modal GitHub