mo · js vs SVGR
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building motion graphics and animations on web pages.
Open source · MIT
Converts SVG icon files into React components you can import and use in code.
The short answer
Choose mo · js if you need…
- Front-end developers who want decorative animated effects like bursts, shapes, or icon animations
- Developers who already use a bundler such as webpack or rollup and want to install via npm
- Designers working with a developer who wants more customizable motion on the web
- Teams who want to add small visual flourishes to a page without a large animation framework
Choose SVGR if you need…
- React developers who import SVG icons or logos into components
- Teams with a shared icon set that needs consistent React components
- Projects using Webpack or Node.js build setups that want automatic SVG conversion
Side-by-side
| mo · js | SVGR | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 18.9k | 11.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | CoffeeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 3 months ago | 8 months ago |
What each one is
mo · js
mo·js is a JavaScript library for creating motion graphics on websites, such as animated shapes, bursts, and swirls. It uses a declarative API, meaning you describe the animation you want in configuration objects rather than writing each frame by hand. It is typically added to a site through npm or a CDN and is aimed at making visual effects that enhance the user experience.
SVGR
SVGR takes an SVG image file and turns it into a React component, so the icon can be used like any other part of a React interface. It provides a command-line tool, a Webpack loader, and a Node.js API, and it can be tried in an online playground. Developers use it to avoid hand-converting SVG markup into JSX.
Best for
mo · js
- Front-end developers who want decorative animated effects like bursts, shapes, or icon animations
- Developers who already use a bundler such as webpack or rollup and want to install via npm
- Designers working with a developer who wants more customizable motion on the web
- Teams who want to add small visual flourishes to a page without a large animation framework
SVGR
- React developers who import SVG icons or logos into components
- Teams with a shared icon set that needs consistent React components
- Projects using Webpack or Node.js build setups that want automatic SVG conversion
Strengths
mo · js
- The README describes a declarative API that gives fine control over animation.
- Ships with built-in components such as html, shape, swirl, burst, and stagger to start quickly.
- Installable via npm or a CDN, and the README notes support for bundler optimizations like tree shaking.
SVGR
- Produces ready-to-use React components from a raw SVG file
- Offers several ways to run it: command line, Webpack loader, and Node.js API
- Has a browser playground and documentation at react-svgr.com
Not ideal for
mo · js
- People who need a no-code tool, since mo·js requires writing JavaScript
- Projects that must support older or unlisted browsers, since the README lists minimum versions and says others are not extensively tested
- Developers looking for a general-purpose UI framework, since the README describes it as a motion library
SVGR
- Projects that do not use React, since the output is React-specific
- People who only need a static SVG file displayed on a plain web page
- Users who need to edit SVG artwork itself; SVGR only converts the file format
Trade-offs
mo · js
- The README lists specific browser minimums (for example Chrome 49+, Safari 8+) and says other browsers are not extensively tested.
- The README does not document its own learning curve; learning resources are largely external tutorials and a separate API documentation site.
- The project's primary language is CoffeeScript per repository metadata, which may matter if you plan to read or modify the source.
SVGR
- The README is short and points to external docs for most setup detail
- Output depends on the SVG and options used, so the example may need review for complex files
- Command-line and build setup require Node.js familiarity
Getting started
mo · js
Install with npm
npm install @mojs/coreInstall with yarn
yarn add @mojs/coreSVGR
Run the command-line tool without installing it
npx @svgr/cli --icon --replace-attr-values "#063855=currentColor" -- icon.svgFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between mo · js and SVGR?
mo · js: A JavaScript library for building motion graphics and animations on web pages. SVGR: Converts SVG icon files into React components you can import and use in code. mo · js suits front-end developers who want decorative animated effects like bursts, shapes, or icon animations, while SVGR suits react developers who import svg icons or logos into components.
Are mo · js and SVGR free?
mo · js: Free and open source. SVGR: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, mo · js or SVGR?
SVGR is easier to get started with (rated beginner); mo · js is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is mo · js or SVGR more popular?
mo · js has more GitHub stars (18.9k) than SVGR (11.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to mo · js and SVGR?
Other options people compare them with include G2, Motion, Rough.js, Anime.js, Material.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.