Tab Bar Navigation for iOS App

NOVASOLUTIONS.TECHNOLOGY is engaged in the development, support and maintenance of iOS, Android, PWA mobile applications. We have extensive experience and expertise in publishing mobile applications in popular markets like Google Play, App Store, Amazon, AppGallery and others.
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Development and support of all types of mobile applications:
Information and entertainment mobile applications
News apps, games, reference guides, online catalogs, weather apps, fitness and health apps, travel apps, educational apps, social networks and messengers, quizzes, blogs and podcasts, forums, aggregators
E-commerce mobile applications
Online stores, B2B apps, marketplaces, online exchanges, cashback services, exchanges, dropshipping platforms, loyalty programs, food and goods delivery, payment systems.
Business process management mobile applications
CRM systems, ERP systems, project management, sales team tools, financial management, production management, logistics and delivery management, HR management, data monitoring systems
Electronic services mobile applications
Classified ads platforms, online schools, online cinemas, electronic service platforms, cashback platforms, video hosting, thematic portals, online booking and scheduling platforms, online trading platforms

These are just some of the types of mobile applications we work with, and each of them may have its own specific features and functionality, tailored to the specific needs and goals of the client.

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Tab Bar Navigation for iOS App
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Developing Tab Bar Navigation for iOS App

UITabBarController — system component Apple recommends for apps with 2–5 equal sections. Looks simple, but nuances appear immediately when custom appearance needed, dynamic badge counter, or specific behavior on active tab re-tap.

Typical complications

Custom appearance. Since iOS 15 Apple changed tab bar customization system — UITabBar.appearance() stopped working for some parameters. Now correct path: UITabBarAppearance + UITabBarItemAppearance. Without this, iOS 15+ tab bar gets white or grey background instead custom, app looks broken.

let appearance = UITabBarAppearance()
appearance.configureWithOpaqueBackground()
appearance.backgroundColor = .systemBackground
tabBar.standardAppearance = appearance
tabBar.scrollEdgeAppearance = appearance

Badge. tabBarItem.badgeValue = "3" works out of box, but red circle system. Custom badge with different color or shape — via badgeColor (iOS 10+) or fully custom overlay view over tab icon.

Re-tap on active tab. Standard behavior — nothing. User expectation — scroll to top in list. Implemented via UITabBarControllerDelegate.tabBarController(_:didSelect:): if selected viewController — this UINavigationController, get its topViewController, find UIScrollView (or UITableView, UICollectionView), call setContentOffset(.zero, animated: true).

SwiftUI

In SwiftUI use TabView with .tabItem modifier. Since iOS 18 Apple updated TabView — new Tab type and sidebar-support for iPad appeared. For complex customization in SwiftUI before iOS 18 often simpler wrap UITabBarController via UIViewControllerRepresentable.

What's included in work

  • Setup UITabBarController or TabView with needed tabs count
  • Custom appearance via UITabBarAppearance
  • Badge counters with updates from notifications service
  • Scroll to top on active tab re-tap
  • iPad adaptation (optional: split view instead of tab bar)

Timeframe

Basic implementation with custom design: 1 day. With badge logic, custom animations and iPad adaptation — 2–3 days. Cost calculated individually.