name: React Native Architecture description: Feature-first project structure and separation of concerns for React Native. Use when structuring a React Native project or applying clean architecture patterns. metadata: labels: [react-native, architecture, structure, features] triggers: files: ['src//*.tsx', 'src//*.ts', 'app.json'] keywords: [ feature, module, directory structure, separation of concerns, Expo, React Navigation, StyleSheet.create, react-native, mobile architecture, ]

React Native Architecture

Priority: P0 (CRITICAL)

Feature-first organization for scalable mobile apps.

Project Structure

src/
├── features/          # Feature modules (Home, Auth, Profile)
│   └── home/
│       ├── screens/   # Screens for this feature
│       ├── components/ # Feature-specific components
│       ├── hooks/     # Feature-specific hooks
│       └── services/  # Feature-specific business logic
├── components/        # Shared components
├── navigation/        # Navigation configuration
├── services/          # Shared services (API, storage)
├── hooks/             # Shared custom hooks
├── utils/             # Utility functions
├── theme/             # Colors, typography, spacing
└── types/             # TypeScript types

Implementation Guidelines

• Feature-First: Organize by feature/module, not by type.
• Colocation: Keep related files together (screens, components, hooks within feature).
• Separation: UI (screens/components) separate from logic (hooks/services).
• Atomic Components: Reusable components in /components. Feature-specific in feature folder.
• Absolute Imports: Configure tsconfig.json paths (@/components, @/features).
• Single Responsibility: Each file has one clear purpose.
• Expo vs CLI: Structure works for both. Expo uses app.json, CLI uses index.js.

Anti-Patterns

• No Type-Based Folders: Avoid /containers, /screens at root. Use features.
• No Logic in Screens: Extract to hooks or services.
• No Circular Deps: Features should not import from each other directly.
• No Deep Nesting: Max 3 levels deep.

Navigation Strategy

• Expo Router: Use for new projects, web-parity, and file-based routing.
• React Navigation: Use for complex deep-linking, legacy apps, or high-customization needs.

Verification Checklist (Mandatory)

• Feature-First: Is the file inside a feature directory?
• Colocation: Are hooks/services colocated with screens?
• Logic-Free Screens: Is there any business logic in the screen component?
• Navigation Choice: Does the project use the navigation strategy defined above?

References

See references/folder-structure.md for full directory tree, path mapping, and service layer patterns.

Related Topics

common/system-design | components | navigation | react/hooks | react/component-patterns