Navigation architecture in iOS apps consists of different structural approaches that determine how users move through content. The choice of structure influences discoverability, access patterns, and overall user experience.
- Tab-based navigation presents primary categories of functionality as peers. This structure works well for apps with distinct, standalone features. Each tab serves as an entry point to a specific section, letting users switch between main areas quickly. Examples include Settings, App Store, and Phone apps.
- Hierarchical navigation presents content in a linear path from general to specific. Users make one choice at a time, moving forward to more detailed information or backward to previous levels. This appears in apps like Mail, where users navigate from mailboxes to message lists to individual messages.
- Content-driven navigation combines different patterns based on content types and relationships. Notes and Files apps demonstrate this by using both hierarchical lists and collections, allowing flexible organization and multiple ways to access content.[1]
Pro Tip: Map out your app's structure on paper first. Use sticky notes to experiment with different organizational approaches — they're easy to move around and reorganize.
