What It Is
NavigationStack is Apple's SwiftUI component for managing hierarchical navigation in iOS apps. Introduced in iOS 16, it presents a root view and allows additional views to stack on top. The component automatically manages navigation state through a path binding parameter.
Implementation Basics
The component accepts two key parameters: path (a binding that stores the navigation route) and root (which returns the initial view). Developers customize the navigation bar using modifiers like navigationTitle() for localized titles, navigationBarTitleDisplayMode() for display modes (automatic, inline, or large), and navigationBarBackButtonHidden() to control back button visibility.
A common pattern wraps list items in NavigationLink components. Tapping an item navigates to a destination view, with the navigation bar automatically displaying a back button.
Title Behavior
By default, NavigationStack uses automatic title mode - large titles that shrink when users scroll. Applying .navigationBarTitleDisplayMode(.inline) forces consistently small titles. The modifier must be applied to the NavigationStack's content view, not the NavigationStack itself.
Why This Matters
NavigationStack replaces the deprecated NavigationView, which Apple sunset in iOS 16. Enterprise iOS development teams maintaining SwiftUI codebases will eventually need to migrate. The new component offers cleaner state management and better support for programmatic navigation - particularly relevant for apps handling deep links from push notifications or universal links.
The Migration Question
For APAC enterprises with large iOS app portfolios, the question isn't whether to migrate, but when. NavigationStack requires iOS 16 minimum deployment targets. Teams supporting older iOS versions face a multi-year transition window. The trade-offs matter: better state management now, versus backward compatibility for legacy device fleets.
We'll see how quickly enterprises make the jump.