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React Native Academy · Lesson

Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources

Load images from the assets folder and from remote URLs using the Image component, set resizeMode, and display loading placeholders.

Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources is a free React Native Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the React Native Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

The Image Component Introduction

The Image component shows photos, icons, and art. Just remember to give it a width and height — without a size it renders as an invisible empty box.

import { Image, View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function SimpleImage() {
  return (
    <View style={{ padding: 16 }}>
      <Image
        source={{ uri: 'https://picsum.photos/200/200' }}
        style={styles.image}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  image: {
    width: 200,
    height: 200,
  },
});

Loading Local Images with require()

Show an image from your assets with require() and a fixed path. It gets bundled into your app at build time, so it loads instantly and works offline.

import { Image, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function LocalImage() {
  return (
    <Image
      source={require('./assets/icon.png')}
      style={styles.logo}
    />
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  logo: {
    width: 100,
    height: 100,
  },
});

// You can also provide @2x and @3x variants:
// assets/icon.png
// assets/icon@2x.png  ← used on 2× screens
// assets/icon@3x.png  ← used on 3× screens

Loading Remote Images from URLs

For an online image, pass a uri object to source. React Native fetches and caches it, but you still set a size, since it cannot know the dimensions yet.

import { Image, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function RemoteImage() {
  const imageUri = 'https://picsum.photos/seed/react-native/300/200';

  return (
    <Image
      source={{ uri: imageUri }}
      style={styles.photo}
    />
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  photo: {
    width: '100%',   // fill container width
    height: 200,     // fixed height
    borderRadius: 12,
  },
});

resizeMode: Fitting Images in Containers

The resizeMode prop fits an image to its box: "cover" fills and crops, while "contain" shows the whole thing. Use cover for photos, contain for logos.

import { Image, View, Text, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function ResizeModes() {
  const uri = 'https://picsum.photos/400/300';
  const box = { width: 150, height: 100, borderWidth: 1, borderColor: '#ccc' };

  return (
    <View style={{ flexDirection: 'row', gap: 8, padding: 16 }}>
      <View>
        <Image source={{ uri }} style={[box, { resizeMode: 'cover' }]} />
        <Text>cover</Text>
      </View>
      <View>
        <Image source={{ uri }} style={[box, { resizeMode: 'contain' }]} />
        <Text>contain</Text>
      </View>
    </View>
  );
}

Loading Placeholders and defaultSource

Online images take a moment, so show a placeholder while you wait. Track a loading state and swap in a spinner until the image loads.

import { Image, View, ActivityIndicator, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
import { useState } from 'react';

export default function ImageWithLoader() {
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);

  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      {loading && (
        <ActivityIndicator
          style={StyleSheet.absoluteFill}
          size='large'
          color='#999'
        />
      )}
      <Image
        source={{ uri: 'https://picsum.photos/300/200' }}
        style={styles.image}
        onLoad={() => setLoading(false)}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: { width: 300, height: 200, backgroundColor: '#f0f0f0', borderRadius: 12 },
  image: { width: 300, height: 200, borderRadius: 12 },
});

onLoad, onError, and onLoadStart

Image gives you callbacks: onLoadStart, onLoad, and onError. Use onError to show a fallback when a URL is wrong or the network drops.

import { Image, Text, View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
import { useState } from 'react';

export default function RobustImage({ uri, fallback }) {
  const [failed, setFailed] = useState(false);

  if (failed) {
    return (
      <View style={styles.fallback}>
        <Text style={{ color: '#999' }}>Image unavailable</Text>
      </View>
    );
  }

  return (
    <Image
      source={{ uri: failed ? null : uri }}
      defaultSource={fallback}
      style={styles.img}
      onError={(e) => {
        console.warn('Image failed:', e.nativeEvent.error);
        setFailed(true);
      }}
    />
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  img: { width: 200, height: 200, borderRadius: 8 },
  fallback: { width: 200, height: 200, backgroundColor: '#eee', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center', borderRadius: 8 },
});

expo-image for Better Performance

For lots of images, try expo-image — a drop-in replacement with better caching, blurhash placeholders, and far less stutter in long lists.

import { Image } from 'expo-image';

// Install: npx expo install expo-image

export default function ExpoImageExample() {
  return (
    <Image
      source='https://picsum.photos/300/200'
      placeholder='LGF5]+Yk^6#M@-5c,1J5@[or[Q6.'
      contentFit='cover'
      transition={300}
      style={{ width: 300, height: 200, borderRadius: 12 }}
    />
  );
}
// placeholder is a blurhash string — generates a blurry
// color-correct placeholder before the real image loads.

Circular Images and Avatar Patterns

Round avatar? Wrap an Image in a square View, set borderRadius to half its width, and add overflow: hidden to clip it into a perfect circle.

import { Image, View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function Avatar({ uri, size = 60 }) {
  const radius = size / 2;
  return (
    <View style={[
      styles.container,
      { width: size, height: size, borderRadius: radius }
    ]}>
      <Image
        source={{ uri }}
        style={{ width: size, height: size }}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    overflow: 'hidden',
    backgroundColor: '#e0e0e0', // placeholder while loading
  },
});

Providing Headers for Protected Images

Some images need a login token. Pass headers in the source object and React Native sends them with the request. Never hardcode secrets — read them at runtime.

import { Image } from 'react-native';

export default function ProtectedImage({ token }) {
  return (
    <Image
      source={{
        uri: 'https://api.myapp.com/user/avatar',
        headers: {
          Authorization: 'Bearer ' + token,
          'Cache-Control': 'no-cache',
        },
        // Optional: cache policy
        cache: 'reload',
      }}
      style={{ width: 80, height: 80, borderRadius: 40 }}
    />
  );
}

ImageBackground for Overlaid Content

Want content on top of a photo? ImageBackground works like a View with an image behind it. Give it a size and place children right over the picture.

import { ImageBackground, View, Text, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function HeroSection() {
  return (
    <ImageBackground
      source={{ uri: 'https://picsum.photos/400/300' }}
      style={styles.hero}
      imageStyle={{ borderRadius: 16 }}
    >
      {/* Content rendered on top of the image */}
      <View style={styles.overlay}>
        <Text style={styles.title}>Discover React Native</Text>
        <Text style={styles.subtitle}>Build mobile apps today</Text>
      </View>
    </ImageBackground>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  hero: { width: '100%', height: 220, justifyContent: 'flex-end' },
  overlay: { backgroundColor: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.45)', padding: 16, borderBottomLeftRadius: 16, borderBottomRightRadius: 16 },
  title: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 22, fontWeight: 'bold' },
  subtitle: { color: '#ddd', fontSize: 14 },
});

Image Caching and Performance Tips

For smooth scrolling lists, keep image URLs stable, lean on expo-image caching, and prefetch key images before they appear. Goodbye, flicker.

import { Image } from 'react-native';
import { useEffect } from 'react';

// Pre-fetch images before they're needed
function usePrefetchImages(urls) {
  useEffect(() => {
    urls.forEach(url => {
      Image.prefetch(url).catch(() => {
        // ignore prefetch errors
      });
    });
  }, [urls]);
}

// Usage:
const imageUrls = [
  'https://example.com/photo1.jpg',
  'https://example.com/photo2.jpg',
];
usePrefetchImages(imageUrls);

Quick Check

Quick check! See how the Image pieces clicked. 📸

Lesson Recap

Well done! require() loads local images, a uri object loads remote ones, and resizeMode: "cover" fills a box. Next up: building a profile card.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources” is free to read here on the web, and the React Native Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the React Native Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources”?

Load images from the assets folder and from remote URLs using the Image component, set resizeMode, and display loading placeholders. You practise React Native Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start React Native Academy?

No prior experience is required. React Native Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this React Native Academy lesson?

Yes. Every React Native Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. The View Component as a Container
  2. Displaying Text and Styling Fonts
  3. Showing Images from Local and Remote Sources
  4. Composing a Simple Profile Card
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