Creating a visually interactive and user-friendly experience is very crucial in mobile app development. React Native’s FlatList is very flexible and effective, mainly used to provide large lists. You can make your FlatList even more engaging using the benefits of drag-and-drop functionality. In this blog, we will learn How to Implement a Scale Decorator in a Draggable FlatList in React Native. Let's start with us!

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Prerequisites

To get started, you will need a foundational understanding of React Native and a basic grasp of animation concepts. Additionally, please install the required libraries listed below before proceeding.

react-native-reanimated – for animations.
react-native-gesture-handler – for handling touch gestures.
react-native-draggable-flatlist – for draggable list functionality.

Step 1: Set Up Draggable FlatList

Start by importing the important elements and setting up a simple draggable FlatList.

Data Array: We need to set up a variety of items to render in the list.
DraggableFlatList Component: This renders means a list where items can be dragged.
Render Item: Each item shows text and uses drag from the render prop to enable dragging on long-press.
ScaleDecorator: Wraps each list item and provides a scaling effect when activated.

Step 2: Apply the Scale Decorator

The ScaleDecorator in react-native-draggable-flatlist is a useful feature that enhances the visual experience of item selection. By adjusting the activeScale property, you can customize the size of the selected item while it's being dragged, making the interaction more intuitive and engaging.

Setting activeScale={1.1} scales the item to 110% of its original size when active. Adjust the scale factor as needed for your UI.

Step 3: Add Custom Styles

Increase the visuality and interaction by adding some custom styles.

These styles establish the spacing and color scheme for each item, giving them a card-like look.

Step 4: Animations with react-native-reanimated (Optional)

If you desire finer control over scaling or wish to animate other properties while dragging, consider incorporating react-native-reanimated. Here's a concise example of how to implement a seamless scale-in and scale-out effect using Reanimated.

Install Reanimated and import it into your project.
Wrap each item within an Animated. View, where the scale value dynamically adjusts according to the dragging state.

import Animated, { useAnimatedStyle, withSpring } from ‘react-native-reanimated’;

Testing and Troubleshooting

Execute the app on a physical device or emulator and test the drag-and-drop feature by long-pressing an item and subsequently moving it around the screen.

Tips

Experiment with different active scale values in the ScaleDecorator to determine the optimal scale for your application.
Modify the item padding and margin to achieve a layout that aligns with your design aesthetic.
Utilize the Spring() function within Reanimated to create a fluid scale-in-out animation.

Conclusion

Adding a drag-and-drop list in your React Native app makes it more fun to use. You can use a special feature called a "scale decorator" to make the items look bigger when you drag them. This gives a cool visual effect and makes the app feel more responsive.

You can use a library called react-native-draggable-flatlist to easily add this feature. You can even use another library called Reanimated to make the scaling animation smoother. With these tools, you can create a dynamic and interactive list that users will enjoy using.

How to Implementing a Scale Decorator in a Draggable FlatList in React Native?

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