How do I migrate from the old react-native-vector-icons to the new package system?

Follow the MIGRATION.md guide in the repository, which involves installing specific icon set packages and updating imports. This process can be time-consuming but ensures better long-term maintenance.

Should I use React Native Vector Icons or react-native-vector-image for SVGs?

Use React Native Vector Icons for font-based vector icons; for native SVG support, react-native-vector-image is recommended, as the README explicitly points to it for SVG integration.

How can I use FontAwesome Pro icons with this library?

FontAwesome Pro icons are not supported in dynamic loading; you need to use static imports or create custom font packages, which requires manual setup and proper licensing from Fonticons.

How to animate icons in my React Native app?

Icons can be animated using React Native's Animated API by creating an animated component, e.g., const AnimatedIcon = Animated.createAnimatedComponent(Icon), allowing for smooth transitions and effects.

Does dynamic font loading work without Expo?

Currently, dynamic loading is fully supported only in Expo or development builds; for vanilla React Native, it's limited and may require future updates to React Native core for broader compatibility.

What's the impact on bundle size when using multiple icon sets?

Bundle size increases linearly as you install only the icon sets you need, but each set adds its font files. Using static imports can help minimize size, but careful selection is advised for performance.

Open-Awesome

react-native-vector-icons

MITTypeScript@react-native-vector-icons/icomoon@13.2.0

Customizable vector icon library for React Native with support for multiple icon sets and full styling.

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17.8k stars2.1k forks0 contributors

What is react-native-vector-icons?

React Native Vector Icons is a library that provides customizable vector icons for React Native applications. It bundles multiple popular icon sets like FontAwesome, Material Icons, and Ionicons, allowing developers to easily add and style icons in their mobile apps. The library solves the problem of integrating scalable, high-quality icons without managing font files manually.

Target Audience

React Native developers building mobile applications for iOS, Android, or web who need consistent, customizable icons for buttons, navigation, logos, and UI embellishments.

Value Proposition

Developers choose this library because it offers a unified API for multiple icon sets, full styling control through React Native's Text component, and support for both static and dynamic font loading. Its extensive icon collection and custom font capabilities make it the most comprehensive icon solution for React Native.

Overview

Customizable Icons for React Native with support for image source and full styling.

Use Cases

Best For

Adding consistent iconography to React Native navigation bars and tab bars
Embellishing buttons and interactive elements with scalable vector icons
Integrating popular design system icons like Material Icons or AntDesign into React Native apps
Creating custom icon fonts for branded applications
Exporting icons as PNG images for components requiring bitmap sources
Animating icons in React Native using the Animated API

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring native SVG icon support without additional libraries
Teams wanting a single, all-in-one icon package for simplified dependency management
Apps needing dynamic loading of premium icon fonts like FontAwesome Pro without manual setup
Environments without Expo where dynamic font loading is essential for over-the-air updates

Pros & Cons

Pros

Extensive Icon Library

Includes over a dozen actively maintained icon sets like MaterialDesignIcons with 7,448 icons, providing vast design options without external dependencies.

Seamless Styling Integration

Icons inherit from React Native's Text component, allowing full use of style props like color, size, and padding for easy customization, as shown in the styling examples.

Custom Font Creation

Offers tools like createIconSet() and a guide to generate custom icon packages, enabling brands to integrate proprietary icons seamlessly.

PNG Export Functionality

Provides getImageSource methods to convert vector icons to PNG bitmaps, useful for components like Image that require bitmap sources.

Cons

Fragmented Package Structure

The move to package-per-icon-set requires installing multiple NPM packages, complicating dependency management and increasing setup time, as noted in the migration guide.

Limited Dynamic Loading

Dynamic font loading is primarily supported only in Expo environments, restricting flexibility for vanilla React Native projects, and doesn't support Pro fonts.

No Built-in SVG Support

For SVG icons, developers must use a separate library like react-native-vector-image, adding toolchain complexity, as admitted in the README.

Blocking Sync Methods

Icon.getImageSourceSync is synchronous and can cause performance issues if overused, with the documentation warning about potential penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

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