mobile-ios-design

iOS Mobile Design

Master iOS Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) and SwiftUI patterns to build polished, native iOS applications that feel at home on Apple platforms.

When to Use This Skill

• Designing iOS app interfaces following Apple HIG
• Building SwiftUI views and layouts
• Implementing iOS navigation patterns (NavigationStack, TabView, sheets)
• Creating adaptive layouts for iPhone and iPad
• Using SF Symbols and system typography
• Building accessible iOS interfaces
• Implementing iOS-specific gestures and interactions
• Designing for Dynamic Type and Dark Mode

Core Concepts

1. Human Interface Guidelines Principles

Clarity: Content is legible, icons are precise, adornments are subtle Deference: UI helps users understand content without competing with it Depth: Visual layers and motion convey hierarchy and enable navigation

Platform Considerations:

• iOS: Touch-first, compact displays, portrait orientation
• iPadOS: Larger canvas, multitasking, pointer support
• visionOS: Spatial computing, eye/hand input

2. SwiftUI Layout System

Stack-Based Layouts:

// Vertical stack with alignment
VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 12) {
    Text("Title")
        .font(.headline)
    Text("Subtitle")
        .font(.subheadline)
        .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
}

// Horizontal stack with flexible spacing
HStack {
    Image(systemName: "star.fill")
    Text("Featured")
    Spacer()
    Text("View All")
        .foregroundStyle(.blue)
}

Grid Layouts:

// Adaptive grid that fills available width
LazyVGrid(columns: [
    GridItem(.adaptive(minimum: 150, maximum: 200))
], spacing: 16) {
    ForEach(items) { item in
        ItemCard(item: item)
    }
}

// Fixed column grid
LazyVGrid(columns: [
    GridItem(.flexible()),
    GridItem(.flexible()),
    GridItem(.flexible())
], spacing: 12) {
    ForEach(items) { item in
        ItemThumbnail(item: item)
    }
}

3. Navigation Patterns