How to draw SVG image on canvas with Konva

How to show SVG image on canvas?

It has not always been possible for browsers to draw *.svg images onto the canvas. However, the situation has improved and you currently have several options available if you want to render a vector image with Konva:

Option 1: Use Konva.Image

In most of the cases you can use *.svg image the same way as any other image such as *.png or *.jpg. You can use Konva.Image shape.

Konva.Image.fromURL('/image.svg', (image) => {
  layer.add(image);
});

This method works well in many cases, but is not fully cross-compatible. For example, some SVG may not be visible in the Firefox browser (there is a workaround for that case).

Option 2: Use Konva.Path

Use Konva.Path. This method is good for simple path shapes. If you have a large SVG with many paths you, you may need to split it manually into several Konva.Path shapes.

Option 3: Use an external library to render SVG to canvas

Use an external library (for example, canvg) to draw the SVG into the <canvas> element. And then use that canvas for Konva.Image.

This method has been tested in at least one large production app, with proven reliability and rendering accuracy.

Demo

Below is a demo that shows drawing natively and with a library.

Vanilla

import Konva from 'konva';
import { Canvg } from 'canvg';

const stage = new Konva.Stage({
  container: 'container',
  width: window.innerWidth,
  height: window.innerHeight,
});

const layer = new Konva.Layer();
stage.add(layer);

const SOURCE = 'https://konvajs.org/assets/tiger.svg';

// try to draw SVG natively
Konva.Image.fromURL(SOURCE, (imageNode) => {
  layer.add(imageNode);
  imageNode.setAttrs({
    width: 150,
    height: 150,
  });
});

// draw svg with external library
async function renderWithCanvg() {
  const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
  const context = canvas.getContext('2d');
  const renderer = await Canvg.from(context, SOURCE);
  await renderer.render();

  const image = new Konva.Image({
    image: canvas,
    x: 200,
    width: 150,
    height: 150,
  });
  layer.add(image);
}

renderWithCanvg().catch((error) => {
  console.error('Failed to render SVG:', error);
});

React

import React from 'react';
import { Stage, Layer, Image } from 'react-konva';
import { useImage } from 'react-konva-utils';
import { Canvg } from 'canvg';

const SOURCE = 'https://konvajs.org/assets/tiger.svg';

const App = () => {
  const [nativeImage] = useImage(SOURCE);
  const [canvgImage, setCanvgImage] = React.useState(null);

  React.useEffect(() => {
    let active = true;

    const renderWithCanvg = async () => {
      const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
      const context = canvas.getContext('2d');
      const renderer = await Canvg.from(context, SOURCE);
      await renderer.render();
      if (active) setCanvgImage(canvas);
    };

    renderWithCanvg().catch((error) => {
      console.error('Failed to render SVG:', error);
    });

    return () => {
      active = false;
    };
  }, []);

  return (
    <Stage width={window.innerWidth} height={window.innerHeight}>
      <Layer>
        {nativeImage && (
          <Image
            image={nativeImage}
            width={150}
            height={150}
          />
        )}
        {canvgImage && (
          <Image
            image={canvgImage}
            x={200}
            width={150}
            height={150}
          />
        )}
      </Layer>
    </Stage>
  );
};

export default App;

Vue

<template>
  <v-stage :config="stageConfig">
    <v-layer>
      <v-image
        v-if="nativeImage"
        :config="{
          image: nativeImage,
          width: 150,
          height: 150
        }"
      />
      <v-image
        v-if="canvgImage"
        :config="{
          image: canvgImage,
          x: 200,
          width: 150,
          height: 150
        }"
      />
    </v-layer>
  </v-stage>
</template>

<script setup>
import { ref, onMounted, onUnmounted } from 'vue';
import { useImage } from 'vue-konva';
import { Canvg } from 'canvg';

const SOURCE = 'https://konvajs.org/assets/tiger.svg';
const [nativeImage] = useImage(SOURCE);
const canvgImage = ref(null);
let isUnmounted = false;

const stageConfig = {
  width: window.innerWidth,
  height: window.innerHeight
};

onMounted(async () => {
  try {
    const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
    const context = canvas.getContext('2d');
    const renderer = await Canvg.from(context, SOURCE);
    await renderer.render();
    if (!isUnmounted) canvgImage.value = canvas;
  } catch (error) {
    if (!isUnmounted) console.error('Failed to render SVG:', error);
  }
});

onUnmounted(() => {
  isUnmounted = true;
});
</script>

Instructions: The demo shows two SVG images rendered in different ways:

1. Left image: Native SVG rendering using Konva.Image
2. Right image: SVG rendered using canvg library