Getting Started

Pre-1.0. Both platforms are complete and everything on this page runs on both, verified on physical hardware: an iPhone 15 and a Redmi Note 12, a budget Android phone.

Requirements

React Native	0.85+
Expo SDK	56+ (dev client or EAS Build)
iOS	16.4+, which Expo's ExpoModulesCore requires from SDK 56
Android	API 24+
Architecture	new. React Native 0.82 removed the legacy one, so there is nothing to choose

Expo Go is not supported and never will be. This package contains native code. Use a development build.

Install

npm i react-native-pose-detection

Expo

{
  "expo": {
    "plugins": [
      ["react-native-pose-detection", {
        "model": "full",
        "cameraPermissionText": "We use the camera to analyze your movement."
      }]
    ]
  }
}

npx expo prebuild

The plugin downloads the selected model, verifies its checksum, caches it, and copies it into both native projects. Nothing is committed to your repo.

› model "full" not in cache
› downloading pose_landmarker_full.task (9.0 MB)…
› sha256 ✓
› copied → android/app/src/main/assets/pose_landmarker_full.task
› copied → ios/YourApp/Resources/pose_landmarker_full.task

Bare React Native

npm i expo@56   # skip if the app has expo already; the SDK for React Native 0.85, expo@57 on 0.86
npx react-native-pose-detection fetch-model full

Starting a new app? npx create-expo-app@latest MyApp --template bare-minimum creates one with the wiring and the iOS 16.4 target below already done, on a React Native an Expo SDK is built for.

expo provides the autolinking that links this package's native code; it does not make your app an Expo app. Wire that autolinking into both native projects once, as installation walks through, set the iOS deployment target to 16.4, then run pod install in ios/.

Then add NSCameraUsageDescription to Info.plist. Android needs nothing for the permission: this package declares android.permission.CAMERA in its own manifest and the merger adds it to your app.

Choosing a model

Model	App size added	Best for
lite	~5.5 MB	budget Android, high frame rates
full (default)	~9.0 MB	most apps
heavy	~29.2 MB	accuracy-critical, flagship devices

Changing it is one word in app.json plus npx expo prebuild, or npx react-native-pose-detection fetch-model lite in a bare app.

First camera

Declaring the permission is not the same as being granted it. One hook asks and reports:

import { PoseCamera, useCameraPermission } from 'react-native-pose-detection';

export default function App() {
  const { granted } = useCameraPermission();
  return granted ? <PoseCamera style={{ flex: 1 }} /> : null;
}

That gives you a live camera with a skeleton overlay drawn natively, and zero data crossing to JavaScript.

useCameraPermission() prompts on mount. Pass { ask: false } to read the status without prompting and call request() at a moment you choose. It also tells you when a refusal is permanent, which is the case an "allow" button cannot fix: see camera permission.

Getting data out

Nothing crosses the bridge until you ask. Three ways, cheapest first:

// 1. Triggers: fires when something happens (~1 crossing per event)
<PoseCamera
  triggers={[{ id: 'rep',
               enter: { angle: 'leftKnee', below: 90 },
               exit:  { angle: 'leftKnee', above: 160 },
               emit: 'cycle' }]}
  onTrigger={(e) => setReps(e.count)}
/>

// 2. Batched: every frame, 4 crossings/sec
<PoseCamera data={{ mode: 'batched', flushMs: 500 }} onPoseBatch={handle} />

// 3. Throttled: latest frame at 10 Hz, 20 crossings/sec
<PoseCamera data={{ mode: 'throttled', throttleMs: 100 }} onPose={handle} />

Two crossings per emission rather than one, because native signals and JavaScript pulls. See data delivery for why.

Prefer triggers. See triggers and what you can build.

Next

• <PoseCamera> reference: every prop, and the events
• Performance: profiles, calibration, app size
• Troubleshooting: when something doesn't work