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Choose Reanimated for direct control of animated behavior, Moti for concise declarative view transitions, and React Native Skia for custom 2D graphics. They are not three interchangeable animation engines: Moti builds on Reanimated, while Skia uses a graphics-rendering model. Your project’s architecture and exact dependency versions can narrow the choice before you write any animation code.
What each library is designed to do
| Library | Best fit | How it works at a high level | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reanimated | Animated styles, shared values, interactions, and custom animation logic | A direct animation API for React Native components and behavior | You express more of the animation logic yourself, and compatibility depends on the Reanimated version and project architecture. |
| Moti | Common component-level transitions expressed declaratively | A higher-level layer over Reanimated that provides components and builds animated styles for you | It inherits Reanimated’s setup and compatibility requirements; it is not an independent engine. |
| React Native Skia | Custom-drawn shapes, paths, and canvas-style graphics | A React Native package that brings the Skia graphics library into an app | It has a distinct rendering model and, for Skia v2, explicit minimum platform and dependency versions. |
This is a comparison of documented roles and setup constraints, not a performance benchmark. The project documentation reviewed does not establish an apples-to-apples test showing that one library is universally faster. Moti’s comparison and the official Reanimated compatibility guide and Skia installation guide describe the distinctions and constraints.
When Reanimated is the better starting point
Start with Reanimated when the animation is driven by interaction or application state and you need direct control over shared values, animated styles, or custom behavior. It is the more straightforward choice when you expect to shape the animation logic yourself rather than express it through a ready-made component pattern.
Moti can expose Reanimated concepts, but an abstraction does not necessarily simplify a heavily customized effect. If the effect’s complexity is in its logic, direct use of Reanimated may make that logic easier to control.
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When Moti is a better fit
For familiar view transitions—such as a component appearing, changing opacity, or responding to a state change—Moti may be more concise. Its declarative component API lets you describe the transition without writing the same lower-level animated-style setup directly. The Moti comparison page illustrates a simple opacity transition both ways. See Moti’s Reanimated comparison.
The trade-off is dependency inheritance: Moti runs on Reanimated, so choosing Moti does not avoid checking Reanimated’s architecture support or version requirements. Moti’s installation page describes a Reanimated 3-based setup and includes version-specific compatibility notes; treat those notes as examples for the releases they describe, not a complete current compatibility matrix. Verify the package metadata for the exact Moti release you plan to install. Moti installation guidance.
Rank #2
When to choose React Native Skia
Choose Skia when the feature is fundamentally custom graphics: drawing shapes, paths, or a canvas-like scene. It fills a different role from an API that animates ordinary React Native views. Do not adopt it solely on the assumption that it replaces Reanimated or Moti; a graphics feature may need Skia, while a conventional component transition may not.
Skia v2’s installation documentation specifies React Native 0.79 or newer, React 19 or newer, iOS 14 or newer, and Android API level 21 or newer. For native Reanimated integration, it specifies Reanimated 4 or newer and Worklets 0.7 or newer. Earlier React Native or React versions require an older Skia package line, according to that guide. Check Skia’s installation requirements.
Rank #3
Check architecture and versions before choosing
Reanimated 4 and the New Architecture
Reanimated 4 works only with React Native’s New Architecture. A project on the old architecture should evaluate the latest Reanimated 3 line rather than assume Reanimated 4 will work. The exact supported React Native and Worklets combinations are patch-sensitive, so use the compatibility table for the versions actually installed. Reanimated’s compatibility table.
Moving from Reanimated 2 or 3 to 4
Reanimated’s migration guidance says animation logic written for versions 2 or 3 generally carries over with little to no changes. However, v4 moves worklet functionality and its Babel plugin into react-native-worklets. Plan to install a compatible Worklets version, adjust plugin configuration as needed, and rebuild the native app. Reanimated migration guidance.
Rank #4
Combining Moti, Reanimated, and Skia
Do not infer compatibility from each package working in isolation. Moti’s public installation instructions describe a Reanimated 3-based setup, whereas Skia v2 calls for Reanimated 4 or newer for native integration. That makes the precise Moti release, Reanimated version, Worklets version, and app architecture a gating check before combining them. Consult each release’s peer dependencies and the relevant compatibility documentation rather than assuming the latest releases fit together.
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- Identify what is being animated. If it is a normal component transition, assess Moti or Reanimated. If it is custom-drawn graphics or a canvas-like scene, assess Skia.
- Decide how much control the effect needs. For interaction-driven behavior, shared-value control, or substantial custom logic, start with Reanimated. For a familiar transition where a declarative component API fits, try Moti.
- Check architecture and installed versions. Confirm whether the app uses the New Architecture, then check the exact React Native, React, Reanimated, Worklets, Moti, and Skia versions against their official compatibility information.
- Validate the native setup. If adopting Reanimated 4, account for Worklets and any Babel configuration changes, then rebuild. If adopting Skia v2, verify its minimum platform versions and its requirements for any native Reanimated integration.
What the performance evidence can—and cannot—tell you
The official documentation reviewed does not provide a dated, attributable, apples-to-apples benchmark for all three libraries. That means broad claims that one is always faster are not established by these sources. The defensible distinction is their purpose, API level, and compatibility—not a universal frame-rate ranking.
Quick Recap
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