React SDK
Last updated: Dec-17-2025
The Cloudinary React SDK provides simple, yet comprehensive image and video rendering, transformation, optimization, and delivery capabilities that you can implement using code that integrates seamlessly with your existing React application.
How would you like to learn?
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| React quick start | Get up and running in five minutes with a walk through of installation, configuration, rendering, and transformations. |
| Video tutorials | Watch tutorials relevant to your use cases, from getting started with the React SDK, to rendering and transforming your images and videos. |
| Sample projects | Explore sample projects to see how to implement Cloudinary functionality such as rendering and delivery with transformations. |
| Cloudinary React SDK GitHub repo | Explore the source code and see the frontend-frameworks and js-url-gen CHANGELOGS for details on all new features and fixes from previous versions. |
| Try the free Introduction to Cloudinary for React Developers online course, where you can learn how to render, transform and optimize your digital assets. |
This guide focuses on how to set up and implement popular Cloudinary capabilities using the React SDK, but it doesn't cover every feature or option. Check out these other resources to learn about additional concepts and functionality in general.
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Developer kickstart | A hands-on, step-by-step introduction to Cloudinary features. |
| Glossary | A helpful resource to understand Cloudinary-specific terminology. |
| Guides | In depth guides to help you understand the many, varied capabilities provided by the product. |
| References | Comprehensive references for all APIs, including React code examples.
On this page:
InstallInstall Cloudinary's JavaScript and React packages using the NPM package manager: If you prefer not to use a bundler, you can import the packages directly from a CDN. ConfigureInclude Cloudinary's React and JavaScript classes in your code:
CDN import
If you prefer not to use a bundler, you can import the packages directly from a CDN using ESM-compatible URLs:
Set required configuration parametersYou can set the required configuration parameter, Cloudinary instance configurationIf you want to use the same configuration to deliver all your media assets, it's best to set up the configuration through a Cloudinary instance, for example: Asset instance configurationIf you need to specify different configurations to deliver your media assets, you can specify the configuration per image/video instance, for example: Set additional configuration parametersIn addition to the required configuration parameters, you can define a number of optional configuration parameters if relevant.
Note
Specify all configuration parameters in camelCase, for example secureDistribution.You can use the Cloudinary constructor to set configuration parameters, for example: Configuration video tutorialsThe following tutorials can help you install and set up your SDK: See more React video tutorials. UseOnce you've installed and configured the React SDK, you can use it for:
Quick examples: Image transformationsHere are two quick examples to get you started with image transformations:
Image transformation example 1The following React code renders the front_face.jpg image with a sepia effect applied: This code creates the HTML required to render the following transformation URL: Image transformation example 2You can apply more than one transformation at a time (see chained transformations) to give more interesting results (notice how you import only the actions and qualifiers that you need, to minimize your bundle size): This relatively simple code performs all of the following on the original front_face.jpg image before delivering it:
And here's the URL that's automatically generated and rendered from the above code: The You can use the Transformation Builder reference to find all available transformations, syntax and examples.
Tip
There are alternative ways to apply transformations to your images, for example:
Learn more about image transformations
Quick examples: Video transformationsHere are two quick examples to get you started with video transformations:
Video transformation example 1The following React code renders the ship.mp4 video with a brightness adjustment applied: This code creates the HTML required to render the following transformation URL: Video transformation example 2You can apply more than one transformation at a time (see chained transformations) to give more interesting results (notice how you import only the actions and qualifiers that you need, to minimize your bundle size): This relatively simple code performs all of the following on the original ship.mp4 video before delivering it:
And here's the URL that's automatically generated and rendered from the above code: Similar to image transformations, there are alternative ways to apply transformations to your videos.
Learn more about video transformations
PluginsThe Cloudinary React SDK provides plugins to render the media on your site in the optimal way and improve your user's experience by automating media tasks like lazy loading, responsive images and more.
Learn more about plugins
Sample projectsTake a look at the React sample projects page to help you get started integrating Cloudinary into your React application.
Tip
Check out our collection of React code explorers too!
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