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Application Architecture Patterns

Most React Native complexity lives in the app layer, not in the renderer. Good app architecture patterns keep screens small, feature modules coherent, and cross-cutting services controlled.

Core patterns​

Feature modules​

Each feature owns:

  • screens or surface entry points
  • local components
  • feature-specific hooks
  • validation and mapping logic
  • analytics binding for that domain

Shared app services​

Centralize:

  • networking
  • auth/session
  • analytics
  • storage
  • feature flags
  • deep links

Design system layer​

Create:

  • tokens
  • primitives
  • composed product UI patterns

This avoids every feature creating its own visual language.

Boundary rules​

  • Screens should orchestrate, not own raw vendor APIs.
  • Features should not reach directly into unrelated features.
  • Shared packages should be stable and well-documented.
  • Global state should remain intentionally small.
app shell
  -> feature modules
  -> shared services
  -> design system
  -> platform/native wrappers

The flow should be easy to reason about and hard to violate accidentally.

Anti-patterns​

  • Massive screen files with rendering, network, analytics, and permissions mixed together.
  • Business logic hidden in random utility files.
  • Cross-feature imports with no ownership model.
  • Overuse of global state for local interaction details.

Outcome​

Good application architecture keeps the app understandable as the number of teams and features grows.