JSX element type LottieView does not have any construct or call signatures react native expo

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Summary

A developer encountered a TypeScript compilation failure when integrating the lottie-react-native library in an Expo project. The error JSX element type LottieView does not have any construct or call signatures indicates that TypeScript cannot recognize the imported LottieView as a valid React Component. Additionally, attempting to type useRef with LottieView resulted in cannot use namespace 'LottieView' as type. This is a classic type definition mismatch where the library’s exported type signatures do not align with how the code is being consumed or how the TypeScript compiler expects React components to be typed.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from the evolution of the lottie-react-native library and its TypeScript definitions, particularly in version 7.

  • Legacy vs. Modern Exports: The library may export the component differently depending on the specific minor version and the context of the module system (CommonJS vs. ESM).
  • Type Definition Mismatch: The TypeScript definition for LottieView in version ~7.3.1 might not export a default class or a value that TypeScript recognizes as a constructable React component.
  • React 18 Strictness: Newer TypeScript configurations (often default in Expo SDK 54+) and React 18 type definitions are stricter. They require that JSX identifiers explicitly resolve to a function or class component type, or a specific interface.

Why This Happens in Real Systems

In large scale React Native applications, type errors like this frequently occur due to the following reasons:

  • Dependency Drift: Third-party libraries often update their internal type definitions or export mechanisms. If the @types package or the library’s built-in .d.ts files change, consuming code breaks immediately if it relied on implicit behavior.
  • Strict Mode: strict: true in tsconfig.json (standard in Expo) enforces strict null checks and type verification. It refuses to accept a “namespace” import (e.g., import * as LottieView) as a JSX element.
  • Ambient Declarations: If the library lacks explicit export = or export default typings compatible with ES6 imports, TypeScript defaults to treating the import as a namespace object rather than a value.

Real-World Impact

  • Build Failures: CI/CD pipelines fail, blocking deployments.
  • Developer Velocity: Developers waste time debugging type definitions rather than implementing features.
  • User Experience: If the error is bypassed via @ts-ignore, the app might crash at runtime because the Lottie animation fails to render, resulting in a blank UI area.

Example or Code

The error occurs because the import style does not match the library’s type export.

import LottieView from "lottie-react-native";
// Error: JSX element type 'LottieView' does not have any construct or call signatures.

// The problematic useRef usage
const animation = useRef(null);
// Error: Cannot use namespace 'LottieView' as a type.

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers resolve this by aligning the import syntax with the library’s actual type definition, ensuring the value is treated as a React Component class.

The Fix:
Change the import to use the LottieView property explicitly, or import the class constructor if available.

  1. Update the Import:
    Instead of a default import, use a named import. This ensures TypeScript sees the specific class export.

    import { LottieView } from "lottie-react-native";

  2. Fix the Ref Type:
    When using useRef, the generic parameter should be the class type (the constructor), not an instance.

    // Correct usage depending on the library's exact export
// If using named import:
const animation = useRef(null);

// If the library export is a default class instance:
// const animation = useRef<React.ElementRef>(null);

  3. Verification:
    Ensure the tsconfig.json has "jsx": "react-jsx" (standard in Expo) and that lottie-react-native is properly linked (though npx expo install handles this).

Why Juniors Miss It

Junior developers often struggle with these specific issues for a few reasons:

  • Copy-Pasting Legacy Code: They often copy code from older tutorials or StackOverflow answers written for lottie-react-native v5 or v6, where import LottieView from ... worked perfectly.
  • Lack of TypeScript Fluency: The distinction between import LottieView (default) and import { LottieView } (named) is subtle. Juniors may not instinctively check node_modules to read the actual .d.ts file to see how the library exports its types.
  • Treating Warnings as Bugs: They assume the error is a bug in the library or Expo, rather than a misuse of the API contract.