Practical overview
When it fits
Use it when a React web interface needs controls for the browser’s speech-recognition or speech-synthesis APIs without building those controls from scratch.
Who it is for
- React developers adding voice input or spoken output to web applications.
- Teams building browser-based voice interfaces or voice-entry options for forms.
Documented uses
- Capture speech as transcript text and pass results into application state.
- Read application text aloud using browser-provided speech synthesis.
- Show listening or speaking state and provide start, stop, or cancel controls.
Requirements & limits
- The browser must support the relevant API; the hooks expose a supported value for checking recognition and synthesis separately.
- Recognition accepts a language option and can return interim results, enabled by default.
- Some browsers require synthesis to start from a direct user action.
- Browser voices may not be available immediately because they can load asynchronously.
- The documented installation command uses Yarn.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Add speech-to-text input to a React component
Send browser speech-recognition transcripts to component state and provide controls to start and stop listening.
Before you start
- A React application with Yarn available to install the package.
- A browser that supports SpeechRecognition; check the hook’s supported value before offering its listening control.
Steps
Install the package with yarn add react-speech-kit.
Import useSpeechRecognition and initialize it with an onResult callback that stores the transcript.
Connect listen and stop to the desired interface controls, and use listening to show the current recognition state.
Expected outcome
The component can place recognized speech transcripts into its state and reflect whether the browser is listening.
Guide limitations
- Recognition depends on browser SpeechRecognition support.
- The documented example uses press-and-release mouse events; the README does not specify other interaction patterns or browser behavior.
Add text-to-speech output to a React component
Speak text from a component and expose browser synthesis state and controls.
Before you start
- A React application with Yarn available to install the package.
- A browser that supports SpeechSynthesis; check the hook’s supported value before presenting a speak control.
Steps
Install the package with yarn add react-speech-kit.
Import useSpeechSynthesis and call the hook in the component.
Pass the text to speak from a direct user action, such as a click, and use the returned speaking, cancel, or voices values as needed.
Expected outcome
The component can read text aloud, stop speech, track active playback, and access available browser voices.
Guide limitations
- Some browsers require the first speak call to follow a direct user action.
- Available voices may load asynchronously, leaving the voices array empty until they become available.
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 15 October 2026
- Original website title
- MikeyParton/react-speech-kit · Official homepage title · retained in its source language