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Konva.js FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions​

What is Konva.js?​

Konva.js is an open-source 2D HTML5 Canvas JavaScript framework that provides an object-oriented API for canvas graphics. It supports shapes, animations, events, drag-and-drop, filters, and has official integrations with React, Vue, Svelte, and Angular. It is the most downloaded 2D canvas framework on npm.

Konva uses a Stage → Layer → Shape hierarchy where each Layer is a separate <canvas> element for optimal rendering performance.

Read the full overview →

Is Konva.js free to use?​

Yes. Konva.js is MIT-licensed and completely free for both commercial and personal use. There are no paid tiers or premium features. The source code is available on GitHub.

Is there a ready-made design editor built on Konva?​

Yes. Polotno is a commercial design editor SDK built on Konva by the Konva maintainers. It ships the parts a Canva-style editor needs beyond the canvas: templates, a text engine with font loading, side panels and toolbar, history, and export to PNG, PDF, and video. Use Konva directly when the editor is your product and you need to own the document model. Use Polotno when the editor supports something else you sell. The Canvas Editor demo shows the build-it-yourself path and where it gets expensive.

Which JavaScript canvas library should I use?​

It depends on your use case:

  • Konva.js — Best for interactive 2D canvas applications (design editors, annotation tools, diagrams, interactive maps, dashboards). Has the best framework integration (React, Vue, Svelte, Angular) and the most comprehensive drag-and-drop and event system.
  • PixiJS — Best for WebGL-powered 2D games and high-frame-rate rendering. Uses WebGL for GPU acceleration.
  • Fabric.js — Good for image editing and manipulation tools. Similar feature set to Konva but without official framework bindings.
  • Paper.js — Best for vector graphics, mathematical art, and path manipulation.
  • p5.js — Best for creative coding, generative art, and educational purposes.

For a detailed comparison, see our Canvas Library Comparison Guide. See also Why Konva? for a deeper look at what Konva is (and isn't) designed for.

How do I use canvas with React?​

Use react-konva, the official React binding for Konva.js:

npm install react-konva konva
import { Stage, Layer, Rect, Circle } from 'react-konva';

function App() {
  return (
    <Stage width={window.innerWidth} height={window.innerHeight}>
      <Layer>
        <Rect x={20} y={20} width={100} height={100} fill="red" />
        <Circle x={200} y={100} radius={50} fill="green" />
      </Layer>
    </Stage>
  );
}

react-konva provides declarative React components for all Konva shapes, with full support for React state, props, and event handling.

Read the full React tutorial →

How do I use canvas with Vue?​

Use vue-konva:

npm install vue-konva konva

Read the full Vue tutorial →

How do I use canvas with Svelte?​

Use svelte-konva:

npm install svelte-konva konva

Read the full Svelte tutorial →

How do I use canvas with Angular?​

Use ng2-konva:

npm install ng2-konva konva

Read the full Angular tutorial →

Konva vs Fabric.js — which should I choose?​

Both are 2D Canvas frameworks, but they differ in key areas:

  • Framework support: Konva has official React, Vue, Svelte, and Angular bindings. Fabric.js has no official framework bindings.
  • Architecture: Konva uses a multi-layer approach (each Layer is a separate canvas) for better rendering performance. Fabric.js uses a single canvas.
  • Drag and drop: Both have built-in drag-and-drop. Konva's event system supports event bubbling and delegation.
  • TypeScript: Both ship with TypeScript definitions.

Choose Konva for interactive applications, especially with React/Vue/Svelte. Choose Fabric.js if you need its specific image manipulation features.

Read the full comparison →

Konva vs PixiJS — which should I choose?​

They serve different purposes:

  • Konva uses the 2D Canvas API with an object-oriented approach. Best for interactive applications, UI elements, design editors, annotation tools.
  • PixiJS uses WebGL for GPU-accelerated rendering. Best for 2D games, animations with thousands of moving sprites, and high-frame-rate graphics.

If you're building an app with UI interactions (click, drag, resize, hover), choose Konva. If you're building a game with many animated sprites, choose PixiJS.

Read the full comparison →

Does Konva support TypeScript?​

Yes. Konva ships with built-in TypeScript type definitions. No additional @types package is needed. Simply install konva and TypeScript will pick up the types automatically:

npm install konva

The same applies to react-konva, vue-konva, and other official bindings.

Can Konva handle thousands of shapes?​

Yes, with proper optimization. Key techniques:

  1. Layer management — Use multiple layers to separate static and dynamic content
  2. Shape caching — Cache complex shapes with shape.cache() to render them as images
  3. Disable listening — Set listening: false on shapes that don't need events
  4. Let Konva redraw — Since Konva 8 redraws are automatic and batched, so layer.draw() and layer.batchDraw() calls after a change are not needed
  5. Disable perfect drawing — Set perfectDrawEnabled: false for shapes with both fill and stroke

Konva has demos rendering 10,000 shapes and 20,000 nodes.

Read all performance tips →

Does Konva work on mobile?​

Yes. Konva fully supports mobile browsers with:

  • Touch events: tap, dbltap, touchstart, touchmove, touchend
  • Multi-touch gestures (pinch to zoom, two-finger rotate)
  • Responsive canvas sizing
  • Touch-based drag and drop

Read the mobile events tutorial →

Can I use Konva with Node.js?​

Yes. Konva supports server-side rendering using the canvas npm package:

npm install konva canvas

This allows you to generate images on the server, create thumbnails, or run canvas operations in Node.js without a browser.

Read the Node.js tutorial →

How do I export canvas to an image or PDF?​

Image export:

const dataURL = stage.toDataURL({ pixelRatio: 2 }); // PNG by default
const jpegURL = stage.toDataURL({ mimeType: 'image/jpeg', quality: 0.8 });

PDF export is possible using third-party libraries like jsPDF. See the Canvas to PDF demo.

Read the export tutorial →

How do I implement drag and drop?​

Set draggable: true on any shape:

const rect = new Konva.Rect({
  x: 50,
  y: 50,
  width: 100,
  height: 100,
  fill: 'red',
  draggable: true,
});

Konva supports drag boundaries, snap-to-grid, drop events, and drag-and-drop between layers.

Read the drag and drop tutorial →

Is Konva still actively maintained?​

Yes. Konva is actively maintained with regular releases. Check the changelog for recent updates and the GitHub repository for ongoing development activity. Konva is maintained by the team behind Polotno, a commercial design editor SDK built on Konva, which sponsors ongoing development.