---
title: Modern React Native Styling Patterns
impact: MEDIUM
impactDescription: consistent design, smoother borders, cleaner layouts
tags: styling, css, layout, shadows, gradients
---

## Modern React Native Styling Patterns

Follow these styling patterns for cleaner, more consistent React Native code.

**Always use `borderCurve: 'continuous'` with `borderRadius`:**

```tsx
// Incorrect
{ borderRadius: 12 }

// Correct – smoother iOS-style corners
{ borderRadius: 12, borderCurve: 'continuous' }
```

**Use `gap` instead of margin for spacing between elements:**

```tsx
// Incorrect – margin on children
<View>
  <Text style={{ marginBottom: 8 }}>Title</Text>
  <Text style={{ marginBottom: 8 }}>Subtitle</Text>
</View>

// Correct – gap on parent
<View style={{ gap: 8 }}>
  <Text>Title</Text>
  <Text>Subtitle</Text>
</View>
```

**Use `padding` for space within, `gap` for space between:**

```tsx
<View style={{ padding: 16, gap: 12 }}>
  <Text>First</Text>
  <Text>Second</Text>
</View>
```

**Use `experimental_backgroundImage` for linear gradients:**

```tsx
// Incorrect – third-party gradient library
<LinearGradient colors={['#000', '#fff']} />

// Correct – native CSS gradient syntax
<View
  style={{
    experimental_backgroundImage: 'linear-gradient(to bottom, #000, #fff)',
  }}
/>
```

**Use CSS `boxShadow` string syntax for shadows:**

```tsx
// Incorrect – legacy shadow objects or elevation
{ shadowColor: '#000', shadowOffset: { width: 0, height: 2 }, shadowOpacity: 0.1 }
{ elevation: 4 }

// Correct – CSS box-shadow syntax
{ boxShadow: '0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)' }
```

**Avoid multiple font sizes – use weight and color for emphasis:**

```tsx
// Incorrect – varying font sizes for hierarchy
<Text style={{ fontSize: 18 }}>Title</Text>
<Text style={{ fontSize: 14 }}>Subtitle</Text>
<Text style={{ fontSize: 12 }}>Caption</Text>

// Correct – consistent size, vary weight and color
<Text style={{ fontWeight: '600' }}>Title</Text>
<Text style={{ color: '#666' }}>Subtitle</Text>
<Text style={{ color: '#999' }}>Caption</Text>
```

Limiting font sizes creates visual consistency. Use `fontWeight` (bold/semibold)
and grayscale colors for hierarchy instead.