Navigation

Most mobile apps have multiple screens. Navigation is how users move between these screens. React Native doesn’t include built-in navigation - instead, you use a library like React Navigation. React Navigation is the most popular navigation library for React Native. It provides a JavaScript-based navigation solution that works on both iOS and Android.

React Navigation is not part of React Native core. You need to install it separately:

npm install @react-navigation/native @react-navigation/native-stack
npm install react-native-screens react-native-safe-area-context

Create a Navigator

import {NavigationContainer} from '@react-navigation/native';
import {createNativeStackNavigator} from '@react-navigation/native-stack';

const Stack = createNativeStackNavigator();

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator>
        <Stack.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
        <Stack.Screen name="Details" component={DetailsScreen} />
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Create Screen Components

function HomeScreen({navigation}) {
  return (
    <View>
      <Text>Home Screen</Text>
      <Button
        title="Go to Details"
        onPress={() => navigation.navigate('Details')}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

function DetailsScreen({navigation}) {
  return (
    <View>
      <Text>Details Screen</Text>
      <Button
        title="Go back"
        onPress={() => navigation.goBack()}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

Every screen component receives a navigation prop automatically:

function MyScreen({navigation}) {
  return (
    <View>
      {/* Navigate to another screen */}
      <Button
        title="Go to Profile"
        onPress={() => navigation.navigate('Profile')}
      />

      {/* Go back to previous screen */}
      <Button
        title="Go back"
        onPress={() => navigation.goBack()}
      />

      {/* Go to first screen in stack */}
      <Button
        title="Go to Home"
        onPress={() => navigation.popToTop()}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

Passing Parameters

Pass data between screens:

Sending Params
Receiving Params

function HomeScreen({navigation}) {
  return (
    <Button
      title="Go to Profile"
      onPress={() => {
        navigation.navigate('Profile', {
          userId: 123,
          userName: 'John Doe',
        });
      }}
    />
  );
}

function ProfileScreen({route, navigation}) {
  const {userId, userName} = route.params;

  return (
    <View>
      <Text>User ID: {userId}</Text>
      <Text>User Name: {userName}</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

Stack Navigator

The most common navigator. Screens stack on top of each other:

import {createNativeStackNavigator} from '@react-navigation/native-stack';

const Stack = createNativeStackNavigator();

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator
        initialRouteName="Home"
        screenOptions={{
          headerStyle: {
            backgroundColor: '#f4511e',
          },
          headerTintColor: '#fff',
          headerTitleStyle: {
            fontWeight: 'bold',
          },
        }}
      >
        <Stack.Screen
          name="Home"
          component={HomeScreen}
          options={{title: 'My Home'}}
        />
        <Stack.Screen
          name="Details"
          component={DetailsScreen}
          options={({route}) => ({title: route.params.name})}
        />
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Tab Navigator

For bottom tab navigation:

import {createBottomTabNavigator} from '@react-navigation/bottom-tabs';
import Icon from 'react-native-vector-icons/Ionicons';

const Tab = createBottomTabNavigator();

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Tab.Navigator
        screenOptions={({route}) => ({
          tabBarIcon: ({focused, color, size}) => {
            let iconName;

            if (route.name === 'Home') {
              iconName = focused ? 'home' : 'home-outline';
            } else if (route.name === 'Settings') {
              iconName = focused ? 'settings' : 'settings-outline';
            }

            return <Icon name={iconName} size={size} color={color} />;
          },
          tabBarActiveTintColor: 'tomato',
          tabBarInactiveTintColor: 'gray',
        })}
      >
        <Tab.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
        <Tab.Screen name="Settings" component={SettingsScreen} />
      </Tab.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Drawer Navigator

For side drawer navigation:

import {createDrawerNavigator} from '@react-navigation/drawer';

const Drawer = createDrawerNavigator();

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Drawer.Navigator
        initialRouteName="Home"
        screenOptions={{
          drawerStyle: {
            backgroundColor: '#c6cbef',
            width: 240,
          },
        }}
      >
        <Drawer.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
        <Drawer.Screen name="Profile" component={ProfileScreen} />
        <Drawer.Screen name="Settings" component={SettingsScreen} />
      </Drawer.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Nested Navigators

Combine different navigator types:

import {NavigationContainer} from '@react-navigation/native';
import {createNativeStackNavigator} from '@react-navigation/native-stack';
import {createBottomTabNavigator} from '@react-navigation/bottom-tabs';

const Stack = createNativeStackNavigator();
const Tab = createBottomTabNavigator();

function HomeTabs() {
  return (
    <Tab.Navigator>
      <Tab.Screen name="Feed" component={FeedScreen} />
      <Tab.Screen name="Profile" component={ProfileScreen} />
    </Tab.Navigator>
  );
}

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator>
        <Stack.Screen
          name="Home"
          component={HomeTabs}
          options={{headerShown: false}}
        />
        <Stack.Screen name="Details" component={DetailsScreen} />
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Header Customization

Custom Title
Header Buttons
Hide Header
Custom Header

<Stack.Screen
  name="Home"
  component={HomeScreen}
  options={{title: 'My Home'}}
/>

<Stack.Screen
  name="Home"
  component={HomeScreen}
  options={({navigation}) => ({
    headerRight: () => (
      <Button
        onPress={() => navigation.navigate('Settings')}
        title="Settings"
      />
    ),
  })}
/>

<Stack.Screen
  name="Home"
  component={HomeScreen}
  options={{headerShown: false}}
/>

<Stack.Screen
  name="Home"
  component={HomeScreen}
  options={{
    header: ({navigation, route}) => (
      <View style={{height: 60, backgroundColor: 'blue'}}>
        <Text style={{color: 'white'}}>{route.name}</Text>
      </View>
    ),
  }}
/>

React to navigation events:

import {useEffect} from 'react';
import {useFocusEffect} from '@react-navigation/native';

function ProfileScreen({navigation}) {
  // Runs when screen comes into focus
  useFocusEffect(
    React.useCallback(() => {
      console.log('Screen focused');
      // Fetch fresh data
      fetchUserData();

      return () => {
        console.log('Screen unfocused');
        // Cleanup
      };
    }, [])
  );

  // Alternative: use navigation events
  useEffect(() => {
    const unsubscribe = navigation.addListener('focus', () => {
      console.log('Screen focused');
    });

    return unsubscribe;
  }, [navigation]);

  return <View>{/* Screen content */}</View>;
}

Deep Linking

Handle URLs that open your app:

import {Linking} from 'react-native';
import {NavigationContainer} from '@react-navigation/native';

const linking = {
  prefixes: ['myapp://', 'https://myapp.com'],
  config: {
    screens: {
      Home: 'home',
      Profile: 'profile/:id',
      Settings: 'settings',
    },
  },
};

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer linking={linking}>
      {/* Your navigators */}
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

// Now these URLs work:
// myapp://profile/123
// https://myapp.com/settings

Authentication Flow

Common pattern for login/logout:

import {useState, useEffect} from 'react';
import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';

function App() {
  const [isLoggedIn, setIsLoggedIn] = useState(false);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);

  useEffect(() => {
    checkLoginStatus();
  }, []);

  const checkLoginStatus = async () => {
    const token = await AsyncStorage.getItem('userToken');
    setIsLoggedIn(!!token);
    setLoading(false);
  };

  if (loading) {
    return <LoadingScreen />;
  }

  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator>
        {isLoggedIn ? (
          // Logged in screens
          <>
            <Stack.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
            <Stack.Screen name="Profile" component={ProfileScreen} />
          </>
        ) : (
          // Auth screens
          <>
            <Stack.Screen name="Login" component={LoginScreen} />
            <Stack.Screen name="Register" component={RegisterScreen} />
          </>
        )}
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

Navigate from outside components:

import {createNavigationContainerRef} from '@react-navigation/native';

const navigationRef = createNavigationContainerRef();

function App() {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer ref={navigationRef}>
      {/* navigators */}
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
}

// Navigate from anywhere
export function navigate(name, params) {
  if (navigationRef.isReady()) {
    navigationRef.navigate(name, params);
  }
}

// Usage in non-component files:
import {navigate} from './navigation';

function onPushNotification(data) {
  navigate('Notification', {id: data.notificationId});
}

Best Practices

Use TypeScript for type-safe navigation

Keep navigation logic in screens

Handle back button on Android

Use useFocusEffect or BackHandler to handle Android’s back button correctly.

Lazy load screens

Use React.lazy() for screens that aren’t immediately needed.

Cache expensive screen data

Don’t refetch data every time user navigates back to a screen.

Common Patterns

<Stack.Navigator>
  <Stack.Group>
    <Stack.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
    <Stack.Screen name="Profile" component={ProfileScreen} />
  </Stack.Group>
  <Stack.Group screenOptions={{presentation: 'modal'}}>
    <Stack.Screen name="AddPost" component={AddPostScreen} />
  </Stack.Group>
</Stack.Navigator>

import {CommonActions} from '@react-navigation/native';

function logout(navigation) {
  navigation.dispatch(
    CommonActions.reset({
      index: 0,
      routes: [{name: 'Login'}],
    })
  );
}

For apps requiring native performance, consider:

React Native Navigation (Wix): Uses native navigation primitives
React Native Screens: Provides native screen optimization

Next Steps

React Navigation Docs

Official React Navigation documentation

Components and APIs

Learn more about React Native components

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Architecture

Native Modules

Platform Guides

Performance

Developer Tools

Advanced Guides

React Navigation

Basic Navigation Setup

Navigation Prop

Passing Parameters

Stack Navigator

Tab Navigator

Drawer Navigator

Nested Navigators

Header Customization

Navigation Lifecycle

Deep Linking

Authentication Flow

Programmatic Navigation

Best Practices

Common Patterns

Reset Navigation State

Alternative: Native Navigation

Next Steps

React Navigation Docs

Components and APIs

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Architecture

Native Modules

Platform Guides

Performance

Developer Tools

Advanced Guides

Documentation Index

​React Navigation

​Basic Navigation Setup

​Navigation Prop

​Passing Parameters

​Stack Navigator

​Tab Navigator

​Drawer Navigator

​Nested Navigators

​Header Customization

​Navigation Lifecycle

​Deep Linking

​Authentication Flow

​Programmatic Navigation

​Best Practices

​Common Patterns

​Modal Screen

​Reset Navigation State

​Alternative: Native Navigation

​Next Steps

React Navigation Docs

Components and APIs

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

React Navigation

Basic Navigation Setup

Navigation Prop

Passing Parameters

Stack Navigator

Tab Navigator

Drawer Navigator

Nested Navigators

Header Customization

Navigation Lifecycle

Deep Linking

Authentication Flow

Programmatic Navigation

Best Practices

Common Patterns

Modal Screen

Reset Navigation State

Alternative: Native Navigation

Next Steps