Compare • React
Rive for React vs ExodeUI
Using Rive for React, or looking for a Rive alternative in a React app? Both tools ship a React runtime that draws your file on a canvas and lets your code drive it. Here is how they compare in practice.
Updated October 2026 · We make ExodeUI
Direct Answer
Rive for React uses the useRive hook from @rive-app/react-canvas (or react-webgl2) to play a .riv file, and your code drives it through state machine inputs and data binding. ExodeUI uses the ExodeUICanvas component and useExodeUI hook from the exodeui package to play a .bexode file, and your code sets inputs and listens for triggers. The setup is similar. Pick Rive for illustration, characters and its larger ecosystem; pick ExodeUI when the component needs layout, logic, physics or API data inside the file.
How each one mounts in React
Rive's React packages wrap its web runtime. You call useRive with the file, the state machine and options, render the RiveComponent it returns, and update view model properties or inputs from your code. Rive offers Canvas2D packages and a WebGL2 package, which also has an experimental GPU Canvas mode for 3D content.
ExodeUI works the same way. You render ExodeUICanvas with a .bexode file and use the useExodeUI hook to set boolean, number, text and array inputs or fire triggers. Callbacks such as onTrigger tell your code when something happens inside the file.
import { ExodeUICanvas, useExodeUI } from 'exodeui';
export function RunButton() {
const { setEngine, setInputBool } = useExodeUI();
return (
<>
<ExodeUICanvas src="/run_button.bexode" onReady={setEngine} />
<button onClick={() => setInputBool('IsRunning', true)}>Run</button>
</>
);
}Accessibility and SEO in React
Both runtimes draw on a canvas, so text inside the graphic is not normal HTML. Rive's React runtime has an opt-in semantics mode: roles, labels and states you set in the editor are exposed to screen readers. ExodeUI has ExodeSEO, which can add titles, descriptions, Open Graph data, JSON-LD and a semantic HTML layer. For buttons and forms, keep real HTML controls in your React code and let them drive the animation.
React Native
Rive has an official React Native runtime. ExodeUI also has a React Native runtime, but its React web runtime is the most mature of its runtimes, so test your components on device before you commit.
Rive React vs ExodeUI React
Rive data from rive.app/docs, checked October 2026.
| Feature | Rive | ExodeUI |
|---|---|---|
| Package | @rive-app/react-canvas, react-canvas-lite, react-webgl2 | exodeui |
| API | useRive hook, Rive component | ExodeUICanvas component, useExodeUI hook |
| Driving it from code | Data binding (view models) and state machine inputs | Inputs (bool, number, text, arrays), triggers and callbacks |
| Accessibility | Opt-in semantics mode for screen readers | ExodeSEO semantic HTML layer |
| 3D | Experimental GPU Canvas (react-webgl2) | Separate react-3d package (Three.js) |
| React Native | Official runtime | Runtime available; less mature than React web |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use Rive in React?
Install a Rive React package such as @rive-app/react-canvas, call useRive with your .riv file and state machine name, and render the RiveComponent it returns. Control it with data binding or state machine inputs.
Can Rive export React code?
No. Rive exports a .riv file that its React runtime plays. ExodeUI also ships a runtime file for React apps, and its CLI and MCP server can additionally generate React component code.
Is ExodeUI a good Rive alternative for React?
Yes for interactive product UI that needs layout, logic, physics or live data in the file. For characters, illustrations and anything that relies on Rive's ecosystem, Rive is the safer choice.
Are canvas animations accessible in React?
Only if you add a semantic layer. Rive has a semantics mode and ExodeUI has ExodeSEO. In both cases, keep real HTML buttons and inputs for anything a user must operate.