ios-navigation-and-ia

name	ios-navigation-and-ia
description	Use when deciding how an iPhone or iPad app should be organized, including tab bars, drill-down flows, sheets, settings grouping, information architecture, and navigation patterns that should feel native on iOS.

iOS Navigation And IA

Users should understand where they are, how they got there, and how to leave.

Defaults

• tab bars for primary destinations
• navigation stacks for hierarchy
• sheets for focused temporary tasks
• settings grouped by user mental model

Use

• tabs when destinations are peers
• push navigation when moving deeper into one area
• sheets when the task is self-contained
• full-screen covers sparingly

Avoid

• hamburger menus on iPhone without a strong reason
• too many primary tabs
• actions hidden where users expect structure
• modal stacks that trap people

IA Test

• can a new user predict where a feature lives
• does each tab have a clear job
• do screens get deeper only when needed
• do actions live near the thing they affect