Apple design

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iOS Design

SwiftUI design system patterns, iOS 26 Liquid Glass effects, and accessibility best practices. Apply these patterns to all UI code.

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Design System Architecture

Theme.swift Pattern

Centralize design tokens in a theme enum. Apps extend a shared base theme for app-specific expression.

// Shared package: AppTheme.swift
public enum AppTheme {
    // Foundation: Backgrounds
    public static var canvas: Color {
        Color(light: Color(hex: "#FAF9F6"), dark: Color(hex: "#0D0D0F"))
    }
    
    // Action: Primary color
    public static let actionPrimary = Color(hex: "#7BA7BC")
    
    // Spacing system
    public enum Spacing {
        public static let xs: CGFloat = 8
        public static let md: CGFloat = 16
        public static let lg: CGFloat = 24
    }
    
    // Corner radius
    public enum Radius {
        public static let sm: CGFloat = 8
        public static let md: CGFloat = 12
        public static let capsule: CGFloat = 999
    }
}

// App-specific: Theme.swift
enum Theme {
    // Inherit from shared theme
    static let primary = AppTheme.actionPrimary
    static let spacing = AppTheme.Spacing.self
    
    // App-specific expression
    static var dialFace: Color {
        Color(light: AppTheme.surface, dark: Color(hex: "#1A1A1E"))
    }
}

Design Tokens vs Hardcoded Values

Do	Don't
Theme.primary	Color.blue
Theme.Spacing.md	16
Theme.Radius.capsule	999
AppTheme.canvas	Color.white

Asset Catalog Organization

Assets.xcassets/
  Colors/
    Primary.colorset/
    Surface.colorset/
  Images/
    AppIcon.appiconset/
    Logo.imageset/

Prefer code-defined colors (hex values in theme) for dynamic dark mode support.

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iOS 26 Liquid Glass

Glass Background Effects

// Standard glass background
.glassEffect(.regular)

// Glass with interactive (hover/press) feedback
.glassEffect(.regular.interactive())

// Ornament for floating controls
.ornament(visibility: .visible, attachmentAnchor: .scene(.trailing)) {
    FloatingControls()
        .glassEffect(.regular)
}

Glass Material Hierarchy

// Thick material for modals, sheets
.background(.thickMaterial)

// Regular material for cards, surfaces
.background(.regularMaterial)

// Thin material for subtle overlays
.background(.ultraThinMaterial)

// From theme
AppTheme.glassSurface   // .regularMaterial
AppTheme.glassThick     // .thickMaterial
AppTheme.glassThin      // .ultraThinMaterial

Liquid Glass Best Practices

Do	Don't
Use .glassEffect(.regular) for floating UI	Use solid colors for primary surfaces
Layer glass at different thicknesses for depth	Overuse glass — it reduces contrast
Add .hoverEffect(.lift) for interactive elements	Apply glass to text-heavy content
Use ornaments for secondary controls	Put glass behind primary action buttons

Nested Glass & Contrast (macOS/iOS 26)

The #1 cause of "muddy unreadable glass UI" is violating these four rules simultaneously:

Rule 1: Keep glass backing ≤ 8% white opacity for .surface tiers

// ❌ WRONG: White at 20% overwhelms the system tint
.background(shape.fill(Color.white.opacity(0.20)))

// ✅ CORRECT: Let the system Liquid Glass tint dominate
.background(shape.fill(Color.white.opacity(0.08)))

At 20% white, light desktops wash out text; dark desktops create gray sludge. At 8%, the panel refracts the desktop without overwhelming it.

Rule 2: Never put solid Color.opacity() overlays on top of glass

// ❌ WRONG: Three competing opacity layers (desktop → glass → white backing → dark overlay → text)
.background(Color.black.opacity(0.65))

// ✅ CORRECT: True glass.embedded — light refracts through coherent depth
.glassEffect(.regular, in: RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12))
    .opacity(0.88)

Solid color overlays on glass create inconsistent contrast that varies with the desktop wallpaper. Use .glassEffect(.regular) at reduced opacity, or .ultraThinMaterial, for embedded rows.

Rule 3: Never nest glassEffect inside glassEffect

// ❌ WRONG: Glass-on-glass causes visual doubling and smearing
GlassPanel(tier: .surface) {
    Button("Unlock") { }
        .glassEffect(.regular.interactive())  // Nested — fights parent glass
}

// ✅ CORRECT: Use stroke borders or materials for child elements inside glass
.background(
    Capsule()
        .stroke(accentColor, lineWidth: 1)
)

A .glassEffect(.regular) button inside a .glassEffect(.regular) panel picks up the parent's refraction and creates a low-contrast blob. Use coral hairline strokes, .ultraThinMaterial, or plain text instead.

Rule 4: Glass UIs need explicit hover feedback

// ❌ WRONG: .buttonStyle(.plain) on glass feels dead and unresponsive
Button("Settings…") { }
    .buttonStyle(.plain)

// ✅ CORRECT: Add hover states — coral stroke for rows, underline for text
@State private var isHovered = false
// ...
.background(
    RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12)
        .stroke(isHovered ? accentColor : Color.clear, lineWidth: 1)
)
.onHover { isHovered = $0 }

On glass surfaces, .buttonStyle(.plain) provides zero visual feedback. Every tappable element needs a hover state: coral hairline stroke for rows, underline for text buttons, or scale+lift for prominent actions.

Menubar Dropdown Pattern (macOS 26)

// Surface glass container
GlassPanel(tier: .surface, radius: 18) {
    VStack(spacing: 0) {
        // Header: sparkle + wordmark
        HStack {
            Image(systemName: "sparkle")
                .foregroundStyle(accentColor)
            Text("app.")
                .font(.system(size: 16, weight: .ultraLight))
            Spacer()
            // Trial chip: coral hairline stroke, NOT nested glass
            TrialChip()
        }

        Divider()

        // Capture rows: glass.embedded with hover stroke
        ForEach(actions) { action in
            CaptureRow(action: action)
        }

        Divider()

        // Footer: plain text with hover underline
        FooterButton("Settings…")
        FooterButton("Quit")
    }
    .frame(width: 360)  // Not 280 — give content room to breathe
}

Key dimensions:

• Width: 360pt (not 280pt — cramped width breaks visual rhythm)
• Backing: ≤ 8% white opacity for surface tier
• Embedded rows: .glassEffect(.regular) at 0.88 opacity
• Buttons inside glass: stroke borders, not nested glass effects
• Hover: coral hairline stroke on rows, underline on text buttons

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SwiftUI Patterns

ViewModifiers for Reusable Styles

// Define custom modifiers
struct PrimaryButtonStyle: ViewModifier {
    func body(content: Content) -> some View {
        content
            .font(.headline.weight(.semibold))
            .foregroundStyle(.white)
            .padding(.horizontal, 24)
            .padding(.vertical, 12)
            .background(Theme.primary)
            .clipShape(Capsule())
    }
}

// Extend View for convenience
extension View {
    func primaryButtonStyle() -> some View {
        modifier(PrimaryButtonStyle())
    }
}

// Usage
Button("Start") { }
    .primaryButtonStyle()

Container Views for Layout Patterns

// Reusable card container
struct Card<Content: View>: View {
    @ViewBuilder let content: Content
    
    var body: some View {
        content
            .padding(Theme.Spacing.md)
            .background(AppTheme.surface)
            .cornerRadius(Theme.Radius.md)
            .appDepth(.surface)
    }
}

// Usage
Card {
    VStack(alignment: .leading) {
        Text("Title")
        Text("Description")
            .foregroundStyle(Theme.textSecondary)
    }
}

Environment Values for Theme

// Custom environment key
private struct ThemeKey: EnvironmentKey {
    static let defaultValue = AppTheme.standard
}

extension EnvironmentValues {
    var appTheme: AppTheme {
        get { self[ThemeKey.self] }
        set { self[ThemeKey.self] = newValue }
    }
}

// Usage in view
@Environment(\.appTheme) private var theme

Preview Patterns with PreviewContainer

/// Lightweight container that injects required @Environment objects
@MainActor
struct PreviewContainer<Content: View>: View {
    let content: Content
    let timerVM: TimerViewModel
    let modelContext: ModelContext
    
    init(
        timerState: TimerState = .idle,
        @ViewBuilder content: () -> Content
    ) {
        self.timerVM = TimerViewModel()
        self.timerVM.timerState = timerState
        self.content = content()
        // Create in-memory model context for previews
        self.modelContext = try! ModelContext(
            ModelContainer(for: FocusSession.self, configurations: ModelConfiguration(isStoredInMemoryOnly: true))
        )
    }
    
    var body: some View {
        content
            .environment(timerVM)
            .modelContainer(modelContext.container)
    }
}

// Preview usage
#Preview("Running State") {
    PreviewContainer(timerState: .running) {
        TimerView()
    }
}

#Preview("Dark Mode") {
    PreviewContainer(timerState: .idle) {
        TimerView()
    }
    .preferredColorScheme(.dark)
}

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Localization

Infrastructure Setup

Create Localizable.strings early — even for single-language apps. It prevents hardcoded string debt and makes future localization trivial:

App/Resources/
  en.lproj/
    Localizable.strings

// Localizable.strings
"preview.action.ai" = "Ask this screenshot";
"preview.conversation.inputPlaceholder" = "Ask anything…";
"upgrade.title" = "Unlock Pro";
"lockedFeature.trialButton" = "Try free for %d days";

NSLocalizedString in SwiftUI

// ✅ CORRECT — Use table name for app-specific strings
struct UpgradeSheetCopy {
    static var title: String {
        NSLocalizedString("upgrade.title", tableName: "Localizable", comment: "Upgrade sheet title")
    }
    static func trialButton(days: Int) -> String {
        String(format: NSLocalizedString("lockedFeature.trialButton", tableName: "Localizable", comment: ""), days)
    }
}

// In views
Text(UpgradeSheetCopy.title)
TextField(UpgradeSheetCopy.inputPlaceholder, text: $input)

Migration Path: Hardcoded → Localized

When retrofitting localization into an existing app:

1. Extract all user-facing strings to Localizable.strings with semantic keys
2. Replace literals with NSLocalizedString calls
3. Keep keys namespaced by feature: feature.element.purpose
4. Use String(format: ...) for interpolated values — never concatenate

// ❌ WRONG — concatenation breaks in RTL languages
Text("Try free for " + String(days) + " days")

// ✅ CORRECT — format string handles pluralization and RTL
String(format: NSLocalizedString("lockedFeature.trialButton", comment: ""), days)

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Accessibility

Labels and Hints

// Always provide accessibility labels for icons
Image(systemName: "play.fill")
    .accessibilityLabel("Start timer")

// Add hints for interactive elements
Button(action: startSession) {
    Text("Focus")
}
.accessibilityHint("Double tap to begin a focus session")

// Hide decorative elements
Image(systemName: "sparkles")
    .accessibilityHidden(true)

Identifiers for Testing

// Add identifiers for UI testing
Text(timeRemaining)
    .accessibilityIdentifier("timeDisplay")

Button(action: pause) {
    Image(systemName: "pause.fill")
}
.accessibilityIdentifier("pauseButton")

Dynamic Type Support

// Use scalable font metrics
Text("Title")
    .font(.system(.title, design: .rounded))

// Or custom sizes relative to metrics
Text("Body")
    .font(.system(size: UIFont.preferredFont(forTextStyle: .body).pointSize))

// Ensure layouts adapt
VStack {
    Text("Title")
}
.padding(.horizontal, Theme.Spacing.md)
// Use GeometryReader or @ScaledMetric for size-dependent layouts

VoiceOver Considerations

// Group related elements
VStack {
    Text("25:00")
    Text("remaining")
}
.accessibilityElement(children: .combine)
.accessibilityLabel("25 minutes remaining")

// Custom actions for complex UI
.accessibilityAction(named: "Add 5 minutes") {
    extendSession(by: 300)
}

// Update announcements for state changes
@AccessibilityAction
private func announceCompletion() {
    AccessibilityNotification.announce("Focus session complete")
}

Accessibility Checklist

Element	Required
Icon buttons	.accessibilityLabel()
Custom controls	.accessibilityLabel() + .accessibilityHint()
Test targets	.accessibilityIdentifier()
Decorative images	.accessibilityHidden(true)
Complex groups	.accessibilityElement(children: .combine)
Dynamic text	Use UIFont metrics or .dynamicTypeSize()

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ADHD-Friendly UX Principles

Design for focus, clarity, and reduced cognitive load. Never use "ADHD" in user-facing copy.

Reduce Decision Fatigue

// Do: Smart defaults, minimal choices
struct DurationSelector: View {
    let presets = [15, 25, 45, 60]  // Curated options
    
    var body: some View {
        HStack(spacing: Theme.Spacing.sm) {
            ForEach(presets, id: \.self) { minutes in
                DurationChip(minutes: minutes)
            }
        }
    }
}

// Don't: Open-ended inputs or overwhelming options
TextField("Enter duration", value: $customMinutes, format: .number)

Clear Visual Hierarchy

// Do: One primary action, clear focal point
VStack(spacing: Theme.Spacing.lg) {
    // Hero element (the dial)
    TimerDial()
        .frame(maxWidth: .infinity)
    
    // Secondary actions in a row
    HStack {
        SecondaryButton("Adjust") { }
        PrimaryButton("Start") { }
    }
}

// Don't: Competing primary actions
HStack {
    Button("Start") { }      // Same weight as...
    Button("Settings") { }   // ...this
    Button("History") { }
}

Immediate Feedback

// Do: Instant visual response
Button(action: { isPressed.toggle() }) {
    Image(systemName: isPressed ? "pause.fill" : "play.fill")
}
.buttonStyle(.borderedProminent)

// Do: Haptic feedback for actions
HapticsService.shared.playTap()

// Do: Visual state changes
Circle()
    .fill(isActive ? Theme.primary : Theme.surface)
    .animation(.easeInOut(duration: 0.2), value: isActive)

Forgiving Interactions

// Do: Easy undo, no destructive confirmations
Button(action: { 
    withAnimation {
        item.delete()
    }
}) {
    Label("Remove", systemImage: "xmark")
}

// Do: Auto-save, resume where left off
@AppStorage("draftThought") private var draftThought: String = ""

// Do: Gesture forgiveness (larger touch targets)
Button(action: action) {
    Image(systemName: "plus")
        .frame(width: 44, height: 44)  // Minimum 44pt
}

UX Principles Summary

Principle	Implementation
Reduce decision fatigue	Curated presets, smart defaults, progressive disclosure
Clear visual hierarchy	One hero element, primary/secondary action distinction
Immediate feedback	Haptics, animations, visual state changes
Forgiving interactions	Undo support, auto-save, 44pt minimum touch targets
Never label as ADHD	Describe benefits: "captures thoughts in under 5 seconds"

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Quick Reference

Common Modifiers

// Depth/shadow
.appDepth(.surface)
.breathingShadow(color: Theme.primary)

// Border
.radiantBorder(color: Theme.primary, intensity: 0.3)

// Glass (iOS 26+)
.glassEffect(.regular)
.glassEffect(.regular.interactive())

// Accessibility
.accessibilityLabel("Description")
.accessibilityHint("Double tap to activate")
.accessibilityIdentifier("uniqueID")
.accessibilityHidden(true)

Theme Values

// Colors
AppTheme.canvas           // Background
AppTheme.surface          // Cards
AppTheme.actionPrimary    // Buttons
AppTheme.textPrimary      // Body text

// Spacing
AppTheme.Spacing.xs       // 8
AppTheme.Spacing.md       // 16
AppTheme.Spacing.lg       // 24

// Radius
AppTheme.Radius.sm        // 8
AppTheme.Radius.md        // 12
AppTheme.Radius.capsule   // 999

Preview Template

#Preview("State Name") {
    PreviewContainer(timerState: .idle) {
        YourView()
    }
}

#Preview("Dark Mode") {
    PreviewContainer(timerState: .idle) {
        YourView()
    }
    .preferredColorScheme(.dark)
}

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See Also

• ios-standards — Swift 6 concurrency patterns
• ios26-api-reference — iOS 26 API signatures
• ios-build — Build validation workflow