Designing for Mobile: A Deep Dive into Responsive UI, Screen Densities, and Asset Scaling

Understanding Screen Density

• Screen density plays a critical role in designing for multiple devices.
• Assets are rendered differently based on density buckets (mdpi, hdpi, xhdpi, xxhdpi, xxxhdpi).
• Design assets at 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4x for different densities.

The Language of Layouts

• dp (Density-independent pixels): Standard layout unit in Android, consistent across devices.
• sp (Scale-independent pixels): Adaptive to user text size settings.

How Constraints Work in Figma

• Use constraints in design tools like Figma to pin elements relative to their parent frame.
• Ensure elements resize and position correctly using plugins like "Responsive Resize."

Design Considerations for iOS

• Take into account the notch and home indicator on newer iPhone models.
• Design for safe areas and export assets at different scaling factors (1x, 2x, 3x).

iOS Scaling Factors

• Scaling factors for different iPhone models: 1x, 2x, 3x.
• Design assets at appropriate sizes for different scaling factors to ensure clarity on Retina displays.

What to Avoid

• Designing only for one screen size can lead to issues with scaling and layout on different devices.