@preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin


> ### Heads‑up: Upstream now supports New Architecture
> The original project, WebsiteBeaver/react-native-document-scanner-plugin, now ships New Architecture (TurboModule) support as well.
> This fork remains actively maintained and API‑compatible. If you prefer the upstream package, you can safely use it; if you already rely on this fork, you can continue without changes.

Fork of react-native-document-scanner-plugin with New Architecture (TurboModule) support and active maintenance.

Which package should I use?

- Use the upstream package (react-native-document-scanner-plugin) if you want to stay on the original repository now that it also supports New Architecture.
- Use this fork (@preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin) if you want quicker iteration on fixes, Expo/EAS build hardening, and a maintained release cadence. The public API is identical.

> Attribution: This package is a community‑maintained fork of the original project by WebsiteBeaver. Demo videos embedded below are from the original repository and are credited to their respective owners.

This is a React Native plugin that lets you scan documents using Android and iOS. You can use it to create
apps that let users scan notes, homework, business cards, receipts, or anything with a rectangular shape.

| iOS | Android |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| !Dollar-iOS | !Dollar Android |

Installation

``bash
yarn add @preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin
`

After installing the plugin, you need to follow the steps below

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1. Open ios/Podfile and set platform :ios to 13 or higher

2. iOS requires the following usage description be added and filled out for your app in Info.plist:

- NSCameraUsageDescription (Privacy - Camera Usage Description)

3. Install pods by running

`bash
cd ios && bundle exec pod install && cd ..
`

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Note: You don't need to prompt the user to accept camera permissions for this plugin to work unless you're using another plugin that requires the user to accept camera permissions. See Android Camera Permissions.

Examples

> Demo media in this README is courtesy of the original project (WebsiteBeaver).

* Basic Example
* Limit Number of Scans

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`javascript
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
import { Image } from 'react-native'
import DocumentScanner from '@preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin'

export default () => {
const [scannedImage, setScannedImage] = useState();

const scanDocument = async () => {
// start the document scanner
const { scannedImages } = await DocumentScanner.scanDocument()

// get back an array with scanned image file paths
if (scannedImages.length > 0) {
// set the img src, so we can view the first scanned image
setScannedImage(scannedImages[0])
}
}

useEffect(() => {
// call scanDocument on load
scanDocument()
}, []);

return (
resizeMode="contain"
style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%' }}
source={{ uri: scannedImage }}
/>
)
}
`

Here's what this example looks like with several items

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You can limit the number of scans. For example if your app lets a user scan a business
card you might want them to only capture the front and back. In this case you can set
maxNumDocuments to 2. This only works on Android.

`javascript
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
import { Image } from 'react-native'
import DocumentScanner from '@preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin'

export default () => {
const [scannedImage, setScannedImage] = useState();

const scanDocument = async () => {
// start the document scanner
const { scannedImages } = await DocumentScanner.scanDocument({
maxNumDocuments: 2
})

// get back an array with scanned image file paths
if (scannedImages.length > 0) {
// set the img src, so we can view the first scanned image
setScannedImage(scannedImages[0])
}
}

useEffect(() => {
// call scanDocument on load
scanDocument()
}, []);

return (
resizeMode="contain"
style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%' }}
source={{ uri: scannedImage }}
/>
)
}
`

Differences from the original

- New Architecture (TurboModule) support — now also available upstream; this fork shipped it earlier and keeps parity.
- Additional hardening for Expo/EAS and CI examples.
- Minor documentation updates and ongoing maintenance.

Documentation

* scanDocument(...)
* Interfaces
* Enums

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`typescript
scanDocument(options?: ScanDocumentOptions | undefined) => Promise
`

Opens the camera, and starts the document scan

| Param | Type |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| options | ScanDocumentOptions |

Returns: Promise<ScanDocumentResponse>

--------------------

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#### ScanDocumentResponse

| Prop | Type | Description |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| scannedImages | string[] | This is an array with either file paths or base64 images for the document scan. |
| status | ScanDocumentResponseStatus | The status lets you know if the document scan completes successfully, or if the user cancels before completing the document scan. |


#### ScanDocumentOptions

| Prop | Type | Description | Default |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| croppedImageQuality | number | The quality of the cropped image from 0 - 100. 100 is the best quality. | : 100 |
| maxNumDocuments | number | Android only: The maximum number of photos an user can take (not counting photo retakes) | : undefined |
| responseType | ResponseType | The response comes back in this format on success. It can be the document scan image file paths or base64 images. | : ResponseType.ImageFilePath |

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#### ScanDocumentResponseStatus

| Members | Value | Description |
| ------------- | ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Success | 'success' | The status comes back as success if the document scan completes successfully. |
| Cancel | 'cancel' | The status comes back as cancel if the user closes out of the camera before completing the document scan. |


#### ResponseType

| Members | Value | Description |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Base64 | 'base64' | Use this response type if you want document scan returned as base64 images. |
| ImageFilePath | 'imageFilePath' | Use this response type if you want document scan returned as inmage file paths. |

Common Mistakes

* Android Camera Permissions

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You don't need to request camera permissions unless you're using another camera plugin that adds to the application's AndroidManifest.xml.

In that case if you don't request camera permissions you get this error
Error: error - error opening camera: Permission Denial: starting Intent { act=android.media.action.IMAGE_CAPTURE

Here's an example of how to request camera permissions.

`javascript
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
import { Platform, PermissionsAndroid, Image, Alert } from 'react-native'
import DocumentScanner from '@preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin'

export default () => {
const [scannedImage, setScannedImage] = useState();

const scanDocument = async () => {
// prompt user to accept camera permission request if they haven't already
if (Platform.OS === 'android' && await PermissionsAndroid.request(
PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.CAMERA
) !== PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
Alert.alert('Error', 'User must grant camera permissions to use document scanner.')
return
}

// start the document scanner
const { scannedImages } = await DocumentScanner.scanDocument()

// get back an array with scanned image file paths
if (scannedImages.length > 0) {
// set the img src, so we can view the first scanned image
setScannedImage(scannedImages[0])
}
}

useEffect(() => {
// call scanDocument on load
scanDocument()
}, []);

return (
resizeMode="contain"
style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%' }}
source={{ uri: scannedImage }}
/>
)
}
`

Migrating between upstream and this fork

Both packages expose the same public API. To switch:

- From this fork to upstream
`bash
yarn remove @preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin
yarn add react-native-document-scanner-plugin
cd ios && pod install && cd -
`

- From upstream to this fork
`bash
yarn remove react-native-document-scanner-plugin
yarn add @preeternal/react-native-document-scanner-plugin
cd ios && pod install && cd -
``

Contributing

- Development workflow
- Sending a pull request
- Code of conduct

Credits

This project builds on the excellent work by WebsiteBeaver/react-native-document-scanner-plugin. The original repository is MIT‑licensed; original copyright notices are preserved in this fork’s LICENSE.

License

MIT