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Fresco

An Android library that loads, caches, and displays images so developers don't have to.

GitHub Download v3.9.0
Stars
17.2k
Forks
3.7k
Licence
MIT
Language
Kotlin
Last update
6 days ago
Type
Library

What it is

Fresco is an Android library for showing images in apps. It loads images from the network, local storage, or app resources, shows a placeholder while they arrive, and keeps two levels of cache, one in memory and one in internal storage. Developers use it to handle image loading and memory use instead of writing that logic themselves.

  • Load and cache network images in an Android app with placeholders while they download
  • Display progressive JPEGs that render as they stream in
  • Show animated GIFs or WebPs inside an Android app
  • Customize how images are loaded and displayed using the library's configuration options

Great for

  • Android developers building apps that display many or large images
  • Teams that want image loading, caching, and placeholders handled by a library
  • Apps that show progressive JPEGs or animated GIFs and WebPs

Not ideal for

  • Non-developers looking for a finished app, since this is a code library (the README describes it as a system for Android applications)
  • Projects not targeting Android, since the README only describes Android support
  • Apps targeting very old Android versions without checking the README's stated minimum, since it lists Android 2.3 and later but compatibility details are not covered here
Step-by-step guide: how to use FrescoInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    You'll need: Android project using Gradle

    Add the Gradle dependency to the dependencies section of build.gradle

    implementation 'com.facebook.fresco:fresco:3.9.0'
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Add the Fresco dependency to your app's build.gradle file.
    • Follow the Get Started guide on frescolib.org for initialization and usage.
    • Display an image using Fresco in your app and run it on an Android device or emulator.
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the documentation on frescolib.org, available in English and Chinese, for full setup details
    • Use progressive JPEG streaming for large images to show content sooner
    • Customize image loading and display, which the README says is extensively supported
    • Check the building-from-source docs if you want to modify the library

Downloads

Source code (.zip)main branch · straight from GitHubRelease v3.9.0Release notes and sourceOfficial website & docsfrescolib.org/

Strengths

  • Handles network, local, and resource image loading with two cache levels
  • Supports progressive JPEGs and animated GIF and WebP display
  • Published under the permissive MIT license with a documented website

Trade-offs

  • Only covers Android; the README describes no other platforms
  • Detailed setup and customization are on the external documentation site, not in the README
  • Setup requires working knowledge of Android build tooling such as Gradle

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.