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Mobile App Design Standards

  • 558 installs
  • 58 repo stars
  • Updated February 5, 2026
  • awesome-skills/mobile-app-design

mobile app design standards is an agent skill that applies iOS Human Interface Guidelines, Android Material Design 3, WCAG accessibility, and React Native UI patterns so mobile screens stay platform-appropriate and consi

About

mobile app design standards is an awesome-skills/mobile-app-design agent skill providing mobile UI/UX guidance backed by 26,000+ words of reference documentation across seven focused guides. The core SKILL.md covers design principles while references detail iOS HIG essentials, Material Design 3 motion and TalkBack patterns, WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility checklists, React Native performance patterns, common mobile mistakes, platform differences, and UI library selection. Developers reach for mobile app design standards when implementing React Native or native mobile screens and need concrete rules such as 44pt iOS versus 48dp Android minimum touch targets, navigation conventions, typography scales, and FlatList performance patterns. Example TSX files demonstrate profile screens, accessible forms, optimized lists, and design-token configuration for consistent cross-platform mobile interfaces.

  • Platform-specific UI conventions
  • Touch and accessibility targets
  • Consistent component patterns
  • Mobile navigation best practices
  • Cross-screen visual hierarchy

Mobile App Design Standards by the numbers

  • 558 all-time installs (skills.sh)
  • Ranked #549 of 1,880 Design & UI/UX skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
  • Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
npx skills add https://github.com/awesome-skills/mobile-app-design --skill mobile-app-design-standards

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Installs558
repo stars58
Last updatedFebruary 5, 2026
Repositoryawesome-skills/mobile-app-design

What are iOS and Android mobile UI design standards?

Apply mobile UI/UX standards while designing screens, components, and flows so iOS and Android apps stay consistent, accessible, and platform-appropriate.

Who is it for?

Mobile developers implementing or reviewing React Native or native iOS and Android UI who need platform-specific HIG and Material 3 checklists.

Skip if: Greenfield visual branding exercises or backend API design with no mobile interface implementation work.

When should I use this skill?

The developer is designing mobile screens, reviewing touch targets, checking WCAG mobile accessibility, or choosing iOS versus Android navigation patterns.

What you get

Platform-correct mobile screens, accessibility-checked components, design tokens, and a consistency checklist aligned to HIG and Material 3.

  • Platform-correct screen designs
  • Accessibility review checklist
  • Design token configuration

By the numbers

  • Includes 26,000+ words of reference documentation across seven guide files
  • Specifies 44pt iOS and 48dp Android minimum touch-target sizes
  • Core SKILL.md contains 1,937 words of mobile design principles

Files

SKILL.mdMarkdownGitHub ↗

Mobile App Design Standards

Comprehensive guidance for designing mobile applications that follow platform conventions, accessibility standards, and modern UX best practices.

Purpose

Apply platform-specific design guidelines, interaction patterns, and accessibility standards when designing, reviewing, or improving mobile application interfaces. Ensure designs are consistent, accessible, performant, and follow 2026 industry best practices.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

  • Designing new mobile app screens or features
  • Reviewing existing UI/UX implementations
  • Planning interaction flows and navigation
  • Establishing design systems or style guides
  • Making platform-specific design decisions
  • Optimizing for accessibility or performance
  • Modernizing legacy mobile interfaces

Core Design Principles

Platform-Native Conventions

iOS (Human Interface Guidelines):

  • Navigation: Back button in top-left, primary action in top-right
  • Tab bar at bottom with 3-5 items
  • Large titles for hierarchy
  • System fonts: San Francisco (designed for small sizes)
  • Haptic feedback for confirmations
  • Swipe gestures for navigation

Android (Material Design):

  • Navigation: Back in top-left, overflow menu in top-right
  • Bottom navigation or navigation drawer
  • Floating Action Button (FAB) for primary actions
  • System fonts: Roboto
  • Ripple effects for touch feedback
  • Navigation drawer for hierarchical content

React Native Cross-Platform:

  • Use platform-specific components where behavior differs
  • Respect platform conventions for navigation patterns
  • Test on both iOS and Android devices
  • Consider using React Navigation for platform-aware navigation
  • Use Platform API for conditional rendering

Touch Targets and Spacing

Minimum Sizes:

  • iOS: 44 × 44 points minimum for all interactive elements
  • Android: 48 × 48 dp minimum for all touch targets
  • Spacing between targets: minimum 8dp/pt

Best Practices:

  • Larger targets for primary actions (56dp FAB on Android)
  • Adequate spacing prevents accidental taps
  • Consider thumb zones on large screens
  • Test with actual fingers, not mouse clicks

Typography Standards

Minimum Sizes:

  • Body text: 16sp/pt minimum (14sp absolute minimum)
  • Labels: 11-12pt minimum
  • Avoid text smaller than 11pt for legibility

Hierarchy:

  • Clear visual hierarchy through size, weight, color
  • Consistent scale across the app (e.g., 12/14/16/20/24/32pt)
  • Use platform system fonts unless brand requires custom
  • Support dynamic type (iOS) and font scaling (Android)

Color and Contrast

WCAG Standards:

  • Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum
  • Large text (18pt+): 3:1 contrast ratio minimum
  • UI components: 3:1 contrast ratio for boundaries

Color Usage:

  • Don't rely solely on color to convey information
  • Provide alternative indicators (icons, labels, patterns)
  • Support dark mode where applicable
  • Test color blindness scenarios

Component Architecture

Container/Presentational Pattern

Presentational Components:

  • Focus on rendering UI elements
  • Receive data via props
  • No state management or business logic
  • Highly reusable and testable

Container Components:

  • Handle data fetching and state
  • Manage business logic
  • Pass data to presentational components
  • Connect to app state/context

Atomic Design Methodology

Atoms: Basic building blocks (buttons, inputs, icons)

  • Single-purpose components
  • Highly reusable
  • Consistent styling

Molecules: Simple component groups (form fields, search bars)

  • Combine atoms into functional units
  • Maintain single responsibility

Organisms: Complex component assemblies (headers, cards, forms)

  • Combine molecules and atoms
  • Represent distinct sections

Templates: Page-level layouts

  • Define structure and placement
  • No real content

Pages: Specific instances

  • Real content applied to templates
  • Actual screens in the app

Accessibility (a11y)

Screen Reader Support

Labels and Hints:

  • All interactive elements need accessible labels
  • Use accessibilityLabel (React Native) or contentDescription (Android)
  • Provide hints for complex interactions
  • Announce dynamic content changes

Navigation:

  • Logical focus order (top to bottom, left to right)
  • Skip navigation for repetitive content
  • Clear heading hierarchy
  • Announce screen changes

Cognitive Accessibility

Reduce Cognitive Load:

  • Clear, concise labels (avoid jargon)
  • Consistent patterns throughout app
  • Progressive disclosure (show what's needed)
  • Clear error messages with recovery steps

Focus Management:

  • Highlight focused elements clearly
  • Support keyboard navigation where applicable
  • Maintain focus context during navigation

Performance Optimization

Perceived Performance

Loading States:

  • Skeleton screens for content loading
  • Progress indicators for operations >1 second
  • Optimistic UI updates (show action immediately)
  • Prevent layout shift during load

Responsiveness:

  • Touch feedback within 100ms
  • Visual feedback for all interactions
  • Smooth animations (60fps target)
  • Debounce rapid inputs

React Native Best Practices

Component Optimization:

  • Use React.memo for expensive components
  • Implement shouldComponentUpdate or useMemo
  • Lazy load heavy components
  • Virtualize long lists (FlatList, SectionList)

Bundle Optimization:

  • Code splitting for large apps
  • Remove unused dependencies
  • Optimize image sizes and formats
  • Use Hermes engine (Android)

Design System Essentials

Consistency Checklist

Visual Consistency:

  • [ ] Unified color palette (primary, secondary, accent, neutrals)
  • [ ] Typography scale defined (font sizes, weights, line heights)
  • [ ] Spacing system (4pt/8pt grid or similar)
  • [ ] Component library documented
  • [ ] Icon set consistent in style and size

Behavioral Consistency:

  • [ ] Navigation patterns unified
  • [ ] Button actions predictable
  • [ ] Form validation consistent
  • [ ] Error handling standardized
  • [ ] Loading states uniform

Component Documentation

Document each component with:

  • Purpose and use cases
  • Props and their types
  • Visual variants (states, sizes, styles)
  • Accessibility requirements
  • Platform-specific considerations
  • Usage examples

2026 Design Trends (Optional Enhancement)

AI-Driven Interaction

Predictive UI:

  • Anticipate user needs based on context
  • Smart defaults in forms
  • Personalized content ordering
  • Contextual suggestions

Conversational Interfaces:

  • Voice interaction support
  • Natural language input
  • Progressive disclosure through conversation

Advanced Visual Design

Spatial Computing:

  • Consider depth and layering
  • Subtle parallax effects
  • 3D elements where appropriate
  • Immersive experiences

Micro-Interactions:

  • Delightful animation details
  • Haptic feedback coordination
  • Sound design for actions
  • Emotional engagement

Workflow Integration

Design Phase

1. Define requirements - Understand user needs and business goals 2. Research patterns - Review platform guidelines and competitors 3. Sketch wireframes - Low-fidelity layouts first 4. Create prototypes - Interactive mockups for testing 5. Validate designs - User testing and accessibility checks

Review Phase

When reviewing designs or implementations: 1. Check platform conventions (iOS vs Android) 2. Verify touch target sizes (44pt/48dp minimum) 3. Test color contrast ratios (WCAG AA minimum) 4. Validate accessibility labels 5. Confirm consistency with design system 6. Review performance considerations

Implementation Phase

1. Use presentational/container pattern 2. Build atomic components bottom-up 3. Implement accessibility from start 4. Test on real devices (both platforms) 5. Optimize for performance 6. Document component usage

Additional Resources

Reference Files

For detailed platform-specific guidance, consult:

Platform Guidelines:

  • `references/ios-guidelines.md` - Comprehensive iOS HIG summary (SF Fonts, Navigation, VoiceOver, Haptics)
  • `references/android-guidelines.md` - Material Design 3 essentials (Components, Motion, TalkBack)
  • `references/platform-differences.md` - iOS vs Android quick reference (navigation, gestures, components)

Implementation Guides:

  • `references/accessibility-checklist.md` - Complete WCAG 2.1 AA testing guide (screen readers, contrast, touch targets)
  • `references/performance-patterns.md` - React Native optimization (FlatList, animations, bundle size, memory)
  • `references/common-mistakes.md` - Common design errors and fixes (touch targets, typography, accessibility, forms)
  • `references/ui-libraries.md` - React Native UI library comparison (Paper, Elements, Tamagui, NativeBase)

Example Files

Working code examples in examples/:

  • `profile-screen-example.tsx` - Complete profile screen with Atomic Design, accessibility labels, performance optimization
  • `form-validation-example.tsx` - Accessible form with real-time validation, proper keyboard types, error handling
  • `optimized-list-example.tsx` - FlatList with virtualization, React.memo, skeleton loading, pull-to-refresh
  • `design-system-config.ts` - Complete design tokens (colors, typography, spacing, shadows, component variants)

Utility Scripts

Development tools in scripts/:

  • `check-contrast.py` - WCAG contrast ratio validator (usage: python check-contrast.py "#FFFFFF" "#000000")
  • `validate-touch-targets.sh` - Validates minimum 44pt/48dp touch targets (usage: ./validate-touch-targets.sh src/)
  • `accessibility-audit.sh` - Audits for missing labels, roles, and a11y issues (usage: ./accessibility-audit.sh src/)

Quick Reference

Touch Targets

  • iOS: 44×44pt minimum
  • Android: 48×48dp minimum

Typography

  • Body: 16sp/pt minimum
  • Labels: 11pt minimum

Contrast

  • Text: 4.5:1 minimum
  • Large text: 3:1 minimum
  • Components: 3:1 minimum

Navigation

  • iOS: Back top-left, action top-right, tabs bottom
  • Android: Back top-left, menu top-right, FAB bottom-right

Performance

  • Touch feedback: <100ms
  • Animations: 60fps target
  • Loading indicators: >1 second operations

Related skills

How it compares

Pick mobile app design standards for platform-specific mobile UI checklists rather than general web design or desktop component libraries.

FAQ

What platforms does mobile app design standards cover?

mobile app design standards covers Apple iOS Human Interface Guidelines, Android Material Design 3, WCAG 2.1 AA mobile accessibility, and React Native implementation patterns with platform-specific navigation and typography rules.

How much reference documentation is included?

mobile app design standards includes 26,000+ words across seven reference files covering iOS guidelines, Android guidelines, accessibility, performance, common mistakes, platform differences, and UI libraries.

Does mobile app design standards include code examples?

mobile app design standards ships TSX examples for profile screens, accessible forms, optimized FlatList lists, and a design-system token configuration file demonstrating recommended mobile UI patterns.

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