xenitV1

mobile-design

@xenitV1/mobile-design
xenitV1
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Updated 1/6/2026
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Mobile-first design thinking and decision-making for iOS and Android apps. Touch interaction, performance patterns, platform conventions. Teaches principles, not fixed values. Use when building React Native, Flutter, or native mobile apps.

Installation

$skills install @xenitV1/mobile-design
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Details

Pathskills/mobile-design/SKILL.md
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Scoped Name@xenitV1/mobile-design

Usage

After installing, this skill will be available to your AI coding assistant.

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Skill Instructions


name: mobile-design description: Mobile-first design thinking and decision-making for iOS and Android apps. Touch interaction, performance patterns, platform conventions. Teaches principles, not fixed values. Use when building React Native, Flutter, or native mobile apps.

Mobile Design System

Philosophy: Touch-first. Battery-conscious. Platform-respectful. Offline-capable. Core Principle: Mobile is NOT a small desktop. THINK mobile constraints, ASK platform choice.


πŸ”΄ MANDATORY: Read Reference Files Before Working!

β›” DO NOT start development until you read the relevant files:

Universal (Always Read)

FileContentStatus
mobile-design-thinking.md⚠️ ANTI-MEMORIZATION: Forces thinking, prevents AI defaults⬜ CRITICAL FIRST
touch-psychology.mdFitts' Law, gestures, haptics, thumb zone⬜ CRITICAL
mobile-performance.mdRN/Flutter performance, 60fps, memory⬜ CRITICAL
mobile-backend.mdPush notifications, offline sync, mobile API⬜ CRITICAL
mobile-testing.mdTesting pyramid, E2E, platform-specific⬜ CRITICAL
mobile-debugging.mdNative vs JS debugging, Flipper, Logcat⬜ CRITICAL
mobile-navigation.mdTab/Stack/Drawer, deep linking⬜ Read
mobile-typography.mdSystem fonts, Dynamic Type, a11y⬜ Read
mobile-color-system.mdOLED, dark mode, battery-aware⬜ Read
decision-trees.mdFramework/state/storage selection⬜ Read

🧠 mobile-design-thinking.md is PRIORITY! This file ensures AI thinks instead of using memorized patterns.

Platform-Specific (Read Based on Target)

PlatformFileContentWhen to Read
iOSplatform-ios.mdHuman Interface Guidelines, SF Pro, SwiftUI patternsBuilding for iPhone/iPad
Androidplatform-android.mdMaterial Design 3, Roboto, Compose patternsBuilding for Android
Cross-PlatformBoth abovePlatform divergence pointsReact Native / Flutter

πŸ”΄ If building for iOS β†’ Read platform-ios.md FIRST! πŸ”΄ If building for Android β†’ Read platform-android.md FIRST! πŸ”΄ If cross-platform β†’ Read BOTH and apply conditional platform logic!


⚠️ CRITICAL: ASK BEFORE ASSUMING (MANDATORY)

STOP! If the user's request is open-ended, DO NOT default to your favorites.

You MUST Ask If Not Specified:

AspectAskWhy
Platform"iOS, Android, or both?"Affects EVERY design decision
Framework"React Native, Flutter, or native?"Determines patterns and tools
Navigation"Tab bar, drawer, or stack-based?"Core UX decision
State"What state management? (Zustand/Redux/Riverpod/BLoC?)"Architecture foundation
Offline"Does this need to work offline?"Affects data strategy
Target devices"Phone only, or tablet support?"Layout complexity

β›” AI MOBILE ANTI-PATTERNS (YASAK LΔ°STESΔ°)

🚫 These are AI default tendencies that MUST be avoided!

Performance Sins

❌ NEVER DOWhy It's Wrongβœ… ALWAYS DO
ScrollView for long listsRenders ALL items, memory explodesUse FlatList / FlashList / ListView.builder
Inline renderItem functionNew function every render, all items re-renderuseCallback + React.memo
Missing keyExtractorIndex-based keys cause bugs on reorderUnique, stable ID from data
Skip getItemLayoutAsync layout = janky scrollProvide when items have fixed height
setState() everywhereUnnecessary widget rebuildsTargeted state, const constructors
Native driver: falseAnimations blocked by JS threaduseNativeDriver: true always
console.log in productionBlocks JS thread severelyRemove before release build
Skip React.memo/constEvery item re-renders on any changeMemoize list items ALWAYS

Touch/UX Sins

❌ NEVER DOWhy It's Wrongβœ… ALWAYS DO
Touch target < 44pxImpossible to tap accurately, frustratingMinimum 44pt (iOS) / 48dp (Android)
Spacing < 8px between targetsAccidental taps on neighborsMinimum 8-12px gap
Gesture-only interactionsMotor impaired users excludedAlways provide button alternative
No loading stateUser thinks app crashedALWAYS show loading feedback
No error stateUser stuck, no recovery pathShow error with retry option
No offline handlingCrash/block when network lostGraceful degradation, cached data
Ignore platform conventionsUsers confused, muscle memory brokeniOS feels iOS, Android feels Android

Security Sins

❌ NEVER DOWhy It's Wrongβœ… ALWAYS DO
Token in AsyncStorageEasily accessible, stolen on rooted deviceSecureStore / Keychain / EncryptedSharedPreferences
Hardcode API keysReverse engineered from APK/IPAEnvironment variables, secure storage
Skip SSL pinningMITM attacks possiblePin certificates in production
Log sensitive dataLogs can be extractedNever log tokens, passwords, PII

Architecture Sins

❌ NEVER DOWhy It's Wrongβœ… ALWAYS DO
Business logic in UIUntestable, unmaintainableService layer separation
Global state for everythingUnnecessary re-renders, complexityLocal state default, lift when needed
Deep linking as afterthoughtNotifications, shares brokenPlan deep links from day one
Skip dispose/cleanupMemory leaks, zombie listenersClean up subscriptions, timers

πŸ“± Platform Decision Matrix

When to Unify vs Diverge

                    UNIFY (same on both)          DIVERGE (platform-specific)
                    ───────────────────           ──────────────────────────
Business Logic      βœ… Always                     -
Data Layer          βœ… Always                     -
Core Features       βœ… Always                     -
                    
Navigation          -                             βœ… iOS: edge swipe, Android: back button
Gestures            -                             βœ… Platform-native feel
Icons               -                             βœ… SF Symbols vs Material Icons
Date Pickers        -                             βœ… Native pickers feel right
Modals/Sheets       -                             βœ… iOS: bottom sheet vs Android: dialog
Typography          -                             βœ… SF Pro vs Roboto (or custom)
Error Dialogs       -                             βœ… Platform conventions for alerts

Quick Reference: Platform Defaults

ElementiOSAndroid
Primary FontSF Pro / SF CompactRoboto
Min Touch Target44pt Γ— 44pt48dp Γ— 48dp
Back NavigationEdge swipe leftSystem back button/gesture
Bottom Tab IconsSF SymbolsMaterial Symbols
Action SheetUIActionSheet from bottomBottom Sheet / Dialog
ProgressSpinnerLinear progress (Material)
Pull to RefreshNative UIRefreshControlSwipeRefreshLayout

🧠 Mobile UX Psychology (Quick Reference)

Fitts' Law for Touch

Desktop: Cursor is precise (1px)
Mobile:  Finger is imprecise (~7mm contact area)

β†’ Touch targets MUST be 44-48px minimum
β†’ Important actions in THUMB ZONE (bottom of screen)
β†’ Destructive actions AWAY from easy reach

Thumb Zone (One-Handed Usage)

β”Œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”
β”‚      HARD TO REACH          β”‚ ← Navigation, menu, back
β”‚        (stretch)            β”‚
β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
β”‚      OK TO REACH            β”‚ ← Secondary actions
β”‚       (natural)             β”‚
β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
β”‚      EASY TO REACH          β”‚ ← PRIMARY CTAs, tab bar
β”‚    (thumb's natural arc)    β”‚ ← Main content interaction
β””β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”˜
        [  HOME  ]

Mobile-Specific Cognitive Load

DesktopMobile Difference
Multiple windowsONE task at a time
Keyboard shortcutsTouch gestures
Hover statesNO hover (tap or nothing)
Large viewportLimited space, scroll vertical
Stable attentionInterrupted constantly

For deep dive: touch-psychology.md


⚑ Performance Principles (Quick Reference)

React Native Critical Rules

// βœ… CORRECT: Memoized renderItem + React.memo wrapper
const ListItem = React.memo(({ item }: { item: Item }) => (
  <View style={styles.item}>
    <Text>{item.title}</Text>
  </View>
));

const renderItem = useCallback(
  ({ item }: { item: Item }) => <ListItem item={item} />,
  []
);

// βœ… CORRECT: FlatList with all optimizations
<FlatList
  data={items}
  renderItem={renderItem}
  keyExtractor={(item) => item.id}  // Stable ID, NOT index
  getItemLayout={(data, index) => ({
    length: ITEM_HEIGHT,
    offset: ITEM_HEIGHT * index,
    index,
  })}
  removeClippedSubviews={true}
  maxToRenderPerBatch={10}
  windowSize={5}
/>

Flutter Critical Rules

// βœ… CORRECT: const constructors prevent rebuilds
class MyWidget extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyWidget({super.key}); // CONST!

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return const Column( // CONST!
      children: [
        Text('Static content'),
        MyConstantWidget(),
      ],
    );
  }
}

// βœ… CORRECT: Targeted state with ValueListenableBuilder
ValueListenableBuilder<int>(
  valueListenable: counter,
  builder: (context, value, child) => Text('$value'),
  child: const ExpensiveWidget(), // Won't rebuild!
)

Animation Performance

GPU-accelerated (FAST):     CPU-bound (SLOW):
β”œβ”€β”€ transform               β”œβ”€β”€ width, height
β”œβ”€β”€ opacity                 β”œβ”€β”€ top, left, right, bottom
└── (use these ONLY)        β”œβ”€β”€ margin, padding
                            └── (AVOID animating these)

For complete guide: mobile-performance.md


πŸ“ CHECKPOINT (MANDATORY Before Any Mobile Work)

Before writing ANY mobile code, you MUST complete this checkpoint:

🧠 CHECKPOINT:

Platform:   [ iOS / Android / Both ]
Framework:  [ React Native / Flutter / SwiftUI / Kotlin ]
Files Read: [ List the skill files you've read ]

3 Principles I Will Apply:
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________

Anti-Patterns I Will Avoid:
1. _______________
2. _______________

Example:

🧠 CHECKPOINT:

Platform:   iOS + Android (Cross-platform)
Framework:  React Native + Expo
Files Read: touch-psychology.md, mobile-performance.md, platform-ios.md, platform-android.md

3 Principles I Will Apply:
1. FlatList with React.memo + useCallback for all lists
2. 48px touch targets, thumb zone for primary CTAs
3. Platform-specific navigation (edge swipe iOS, back button Android)

Anti-Patterns I Will Avoid:
1. ScrollView for lists β†’ FlatList
2. Inline renderItem β†’ Memoized
3. AsyncStorage for tokens β†’ SecureStore

πŸ”΄ Can't fill the checkpoint? β†’ GO BACK AND READ THE SKILL FILES.


πŸ”§ Framework Decision Tree

WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING?
        β”‚
        β”œβ”€β”€ Need OTA updates + rapid iteration + web team
        β”‚   └── βœ… React Native + Expo
        β”‚
        β”œβ”€β”€ Need pixel-perfect custom UI + performance critical
        β”‚   └── βœ… Flutter
        β”‚
        β”œβ”€β”€ Deep native features + single platform focus
        β”‚   β”œβ”€β”€ iOS only β†’ SwiftUI
        β”‚   └── Android only β†’ Kotlin + Jetpack Compose
        β”‚
        β”œβ”€β”€ Existing RN codebase + new features
        β”‚   └── βœ… React Native (bare workflow)
        β”‚
        └── Enterprise + existing Flutter codebase
            └── βœ… Flutter

For complete decision trees: decision-trees.md


πŸ“‹ Pre-Development Checklist

Before Starting ANY Mobile Project

  • Platform confirmed? (iOS / Android / Both)
  • Framework chosen? (RN / Flutter / Native)
  • Navigation pattern decided? (Tabs / Stack / Drawer)
  • State management selected? (Zustand / Redux / Riverpod / BLoC)
  • Offline requirements known?
  • Deep linking planned from day one?
  • Target devices defined? (Phone / Tablet / Both)

Before Every Screen

  • Touch targets β‰₯ 44-48px?
  • Primary CTA in thumb zone?
  • Loading state exists?
  • Error state with retry exists?
  • Offline handling considered?
  • Platform conventions followed?

Before Release

  • console.log removed?
  • SecureStore for sensitive data?
  • SSL pinning enabled?
  • Lists optimized (memo, keyExtractor)?
  • Memory cleanup on unmount?
  • Tested on low-end devices?
  • Accessibility labels on all interactive elements?

πŸ“š Reference Files

For deeper guidance on specific areas:

FileWhen to Use
mobile-design-thinking.mdFIRST! Anti-memorization, forces context-based thinking
touch-psychology.mdUnderstanding touch interaction, Fitts' Law, gesture design
mobile-performance.mdOptimizing RN/Flutter, 60fps, memory/battery
platform-ios.mdiOS-specific design, HIG compliance
platform-android.mdAndroid-specific design, Material Design 3
mobile-navigation.mdNavigation patterns, deep linking
mobile-typography.mdType scale, system fonts, accessibility
mobile-color-system.mdOLED optimization, dark mode, battery
decision-trees.mdFramework, state, storage decisions

Remember: Mobile users are impatient, interrupted, and using imprecise fingers on small screens. Design for the WORST conditions: bad network, one hand, bright sun, low battery. If it works there, it works everywhere.