Fork & Extend (Advanced Customization)

For teams who need complete control over UIKit components and user flows. Fork & Extend gives you access to the full source code, allowing unlimited customization freedom.

Full Source Access

Complete control over all components

Custom Layouts

Build entirely new user flows

Your Codebase

Maintain your own version and roadmap

Professional Workflow

Full development environment setup

When to Choose Fork & Extend

Fork & Extend is ideal when you need: ✅ Complete customization freedom - No limitations on what you can change
✅ Custom user flows - Build workflows that don’t exist in UIKit
✅ Existing system integration - Deep integration with your current architecture
✅ Development resources - Team with strong React Native/iOS/Android expertise
✅ Long-term control - Want to own your customization roadmap ❌ Quick setup - Dynamic UI or Component Styling are faster
❌ Simple branding - Lower levels are more efficient
❌ Limited development resources - Requires ongoing maintenance

Getting Started with Fork & Extend

1. Fork the Repository

Start by forking the social.plus UIKit repository for your platform:

React Native

Most Popular Choice

Cross-platform (iOS + Android)
Active community support
Regular updates and maintenance

iOS Native

Native iOS Performance

SwiftUI and UIKit components
Native iOS integrations
Optimized for iOS ecosystem

Android Native

Native Android Experience

Kotlin-based implementation
Material Design components
Android-specific optimizations

Flutter

Cross-Platform Flutter

Single codebase for iOS + Android
Flutter widgets and components
Modern development experience

2. Set Up Your Development Environment

Clone Your Fork

Clone your forked repository to your local development environment

Install Dependencies

Follow the setup instructions in the repository’s README

Configure API Keys

Set up your social.plus API keys and configuration

Run the Example App

Build and run the included example app to verify setup

3. Customization Strategy

your-app/
├── src/
│   ├── components/          # Your custom components
│   ├── themes/             # Custom theme configurations
│   ├── layouts/            # Custom page layouts
│   └── social-plus-uikit/  # Forked UIKit source
│       ├── components/     # Modify these as needed
│       ├── themes/         # Base theme system
│       └── utils/          # Utility functions
├── assets/                 # Custom icons, images
└── config/                 # Configuration files

Advanced Customization Techniques

Custom Theme Systems

Multi-Brand Theming

Create multiple brand configurations within a single app:

{
  "themes": {
    "brand_primary": {
      "light": {
        "primary_color": "#007AFF",
        "secondary_color": "#5856D6",
        "brand_identity": "corporate"
      },
      "dark": {
        "primary_color": "#0A84FF",
        "secondary_color": "#5E5CE6",
        "brand_identity": "corporate"
      }
    },
    "brand_secondary": {
      "light": {
        "primary_color": "#FF3B30",
        "secondary_color": "#FF9500",
        "brand_identity": "energetic"
      },
      "dark": {
        "primary_color": "#FF453A",
        "secondary_color": "#FF9F0A",
        "brand_identity": "energetic"
      }
    }
  },
  "active_theme": "brand_primary"
}

Seasonal Themes

Implement time-based theme switching:

{
  "seasonal_themes": {
    "spring": {
      "active_period": {"start": "03-20", "end": "06-20"},
      "theme": {
        "primary_color": "#32D74B",
        "background_color": "#F0FFF4"
      }
    },
    "summer": {
      "active_period": {"start": "06-21", "end": "09-22"},
      "theme": {
        "primary_color": "#FF9500",
        "background_color": "#FFFAF0"
      }
    },
    "fall": {
      "active_period": {"start": "09-23", "end": "12-20"},
      "theme": {
        "primary_color": "#FF6B35",
        "background_color": "#FFF8F0"
      }
    },
    "winter": {
      "active_period": {"start": "12-21", "end": "03-19"},
      "theme": {
        "primary_color": "#5AC8FA",
        "background_color": "#F0F8FF"
      }
    }
  },
  "enable_seasonal_themes": true
}

Complex Component Configurations

Conditional Component Display

Show/hide components based on user roles or app state:

{
  "conditional_components": {
    "admin_users": {
      "conditions": {
        "user_role": ["admin", "moderator"]
      },
      "components": {
        "*/*/moderation_panel": {
          "enabled": true
        },
        "*/*/user_management": {
          "enabled": true
        }
      }
    },
    "premium_users": {
      "conditions": {
        "user_tier": "premium"
      },
      "components": {
        "*/*/advanced_features": {
          "enabled": true
        },
        "*/*/advertisement": {
          "enabled": false
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Progressive Component Loading

Configure lazy loading for performance:

{
  "performance_config": {
    "lazy_loading": {
      "social_home_page/*/media_gallery": {
        "load_threshold": 2,
        "preload_count": 5,
        "placeholder_enabled": true
      },
      "*/*/user_avatar": {
        "cache_enabled": true,
        "cache_duration": 3600
      }
    }
  }
}

Advanced Styling Techniques

CSS-in-JSON Styling

For web platforms, use CSS-like properties:

{
  "web_advanced_styles": {
    "*/*/post_container": {
      "css": {
        "box-shadow": "0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.1)",
        "backdrop-filter": "blur(10px)",
        "transition": "all 0.3s ease",
        "hover": {
          "transform": "translateY(-2px)",
          "box-shadow": "0 4px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.15)"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Gradient Support

Create complex gradient backgrounds:

{
  "gradient_themes": {
    "primary_gradient": {
      "type": "linear",
      "direction": "to_bottom_right",
      "stops": [
        {"color": "#667eea", "position": 0},
        {"color": "#764ba2", "position": 100}
      ]
    },
    "accent_gradient": {
      "type": "radial",
      "center": "center",
      "stops": [
        {"color": "#ff9a9e", "position": 0},
        {"color": "#fecfef", "position": 50},
        {"color": "#fecfef", "position": 100}
      ]
    }
  }
}

Animation Configurations

Define complex animations:

{
  "animations": {
    "page_transitions": {
      "slide_in": {
        "duration": 300,
        "easing": "cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1)",
        "keyframes": [
          {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(100%)"},
          {"offset": 100, "transform": "translateX(0)"}
        ]
      }
    },
    "micro_interactions": {
      "button_press": {
        "duration": 150,
        "easing": "ease-out",
        "scale": 0.95
      },
      "like_animation": {
        "duration": 400,
        "easing": "bounce",
        "scale": [1, 1.2, 1]
      }
    }
  }
}

Performance Optimization

Asset Management

Optimize image and resource loading:

{
  "asset_optimization": {
    "image_compression": {
      "quality": 85,
      "format": "webp",
      "fallback": "jpeg"
    },
    "icon_optimization": {
      "use_svg": true,
      "cache_icons": true,
      "icon_font": "custom"
    },
    "preloading": {
      "critical_images": ["avatar_placeholder", "brand_logo"],
      "lazy_load_threshold": "50px"
    }
  }
}

Memory Management

Configure memory usage for large lists:

{
  "memory_management": {
    "list_optimization": {
      "social_home_page/*/feed_list": {
        "virtual_scrolling": true,
        "item_height": 200,
        "buffer_size": 10,
        "recycle_threshold": 50
      }
    },
    "image_caching": {
      "max_cache_size": "100MB",
      "cache_duration": 86400,
      "cleanup_interval": 3600
    }
  }
}

Custom Component Creation

Component Templates

Define reusable component templates:

{
  "component_templates": {
    "custom_card": {
      "structure": {
        "container": "card_container",
        "header": "card_header",
        "content": "card_content",
        "footer": "card_footer"
      },
      "default_styles": {
        "card_container": {
          "background_color": "#FFFFFF",
          "corner_radius": 12,
          "shadow_enabled": true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Component Extensions

Extend existing components with custom functionality:

{
  "component_extensions": {
    "post_detail_page/*/reaction_button": {
      "extends": "base_button",
      "custom_reactions": [
        {"name": "love", "icon": "❤️", "color": "#FF3B30"},
        {"name": "laugh", "icon": "😂", "color": "#FF9500"},
        {"name": "wow", "icon": "😮", "color": "#5AC8FA"},
        {"name": "sad", "icon": "😢", "color": "#8E8E93"},
        {"name": "angry", "icon": "😠", "color": "#FF3B30"}
      ]
    }
  }
}

Accessibility Enhancements

Advanced Accessibility Features

{
  "accessibility": {
    "high_contrast_mode": {
      "auto_detect": true,
      "custom_colors": {
        "primary_color": "#0000FF",
        "secondary_color": "#000000",
        "background_color": "#FFFFFF",
        "text_color": "#000000"
      }
    },
    "reduced_motion": {
      "respect_system_setting": true,
      "fallback_animations": {
        "fade": "opacity",
        "slide": "position"
      }
    },
    "font_scaling": {
      "min_scale": 0.8,
      "max_scale": 2.0,
      "respect_system": true
    }
  }
}

{
  "screen_reader": {
    "custom_labels": {
      "*/*/like_button": {
        "aria_label": "Like this post",
        "aria_pressed": "dynamic"
      },
      "*/*/comment_button": {
        "aria_label": "View comments",
        "aria_expanded": "dynamic"
      }
    },
    "navigation_hints": {
      "skip_links": true,
      "landmark_roles": true,
      "focus_management": "enhanced"
    }
  }
}

Multi-Platform Optimization

Responsive Design Configurations

{
  "responsive_config": {
    "breakpoints": {
      "mobile": {"max_width": 768},
      "tablet": {"min_width": 769, "max_width": 1024},
      "desktop": {"min_width": 1025}
    },
    "adaptive_layouts": {
      "social_home_page/*/*": {
        "mobile": {"columns": 1, "padding": 16},
        "tablet": {"columns": 2, "padding": 24},
        "desktop": {"columns": 3, "padding": 32}
      }
    }
  }
}

Platform-Specific Optimizations

{
  "ios_optimizations": {
    "native_features": {
      "haptic_feedback": true,
      "dark_mode_support": "automatic",
      "large_title_navigation": true,
      "swipe_gestures": "enhanced"
    },
    "performance": {
      "metal_rendering": true,
      "core_animation": true,
      "background_app_refresh": true
    }
  }
}

Configuration Management

Environment-Based Configs

{
  "environments": {
    "development": {
      "debug_mode": true,
      "performance_monitoring": false,
      "mock_data": true
    },
    "staging": {
      "debug_mode": false,
      "performance_monitoring": true,
      "mock_data": false
    },
    "production": {
      "debug_mode": false,
      "performance_monitoring": true,
      "mock_data": false,
      "analytics": true
    }
  }
}

Version Management

{
  "config_version": "2.1.0",
  "compatibility": {
    "min_uikit_version": "4.5.0",
    "max_uikit_version": "4.9.x"
  },
  "migration_rules": {
    "from_v2.0": {
      "renamed_properties": {
        "accent_color": "secondary_color"
      },
      "deprecated_properties": ["legacy_theme"]
    }
  }
}

Testing and Validation

Configuration Testing

Schema Validation

Validate your configuration against the UIKit schema

Cross-Platform Testing

Test configurations on all target platforms

Performance Testing

Monitor performance impact of customizations

Accessibility Testing

Verify accessibility compliance

Automated Testing

// Example test configuration
const configTests = {
  validateColorContrast: (config) => {
    // Check WCAG compliance
  },
  validatePerformance: (config) => {
    // Analyze performance impact
  },
  crossPlatformCompatibility: (config) => {
    // Test platform compatibility
  }
};

Best Practices

Advanced customizations can impact performance and maintainability. Always test thoroughly and consider the long-term implications.

Configuration Guidelines

Modularity

Break complex configurations into smaller, manageable modules

Documentation

Document all custom configurations and their purposes

Version Control

Use version control for configuration files

Fallbacks

Always provide fallback configurations

Performance Considerations

Monitor the performance impact of advanced customizations, especially on lower-end devices.

Lazy Loading

Use lazy loading for non-critical customizations

Caching

Implement appropriate caching strategies

Optimization

Regularly profile and optimize configurations

Monitoring

Monitor real-world performance metrics

Next Steps

Platform Guides

Explore platform-specific advanced features

Examples

See advanced customization examples in action

Powered by

Getting Started

Components

Customization

Examples

​Fork & Extend (Advanced Customization)

Full Source Access

Custom Layouts

Your Codebase

Professional Workflow

​When to Choose Fork & Extend

​Getting Started with Fork & Extend

​1. Fork the Repository

React Native

iOS Native

Android Native

Flutter

​2. Set Up Your Development Environment

​3. Customization Strategy

​Advanced Customization Techniques

​Custom Theme Systems

​Multi-Brand Theming

​Seasonal Themes

​Complex Component Configurations

​Conditional Component Display

​Progressive Component Loading

​Advanced Styling Techniques

​CSS-in-JSON Styling

​Gradient Support

​Animation Configurations

​Performance Optimization

​Asset Management

​Memory Management

​Custom Component Creation

​Component Templates

​Component Extensions

​Accessibility Enhancements

​Advanced Accessibility Features

​Screen Reader Optimization

​Multi-Platform Optimization

​Responsive Design Configurations

​Platform-Specific Optimizations

​Configuration Management

​Environment-Based Configs

​Version Management

​Testing and Validation

​Configuration Testing

​Automated Testing

​Best Practices

​Configuration Guidelines

Modularity

Documentation

Version Control

Fallbacks

​Performance Considerations

Lazy Loading

Caching

Optimization

Monitoring

​Next Steps

Platform Guides

Examples

Fork & Extend (Advanced Customization)

When to Choose Fork & Extend

Getting Started with Fork & Extend

1. Fork the Repository

2. Set Up Your Development Environment

3. Customization Strategy

Advanced Customization Techniques

Custom Theme Systems

Multi-Brand Theming

Seasonal Themes

Complex Component Configurations

Conditional Component Display

Progressive Component Loading

Advanced Styling Techniques

CSS-in-JSON Styling

Gradient Support

Animation Configurations

Performance Optimization

Asset Management

Memory Management

Custom Component Creation

Component Templates

Component Extensions

Accessibility Enhancements

Advanced Accessibility Features

Screen Reader Optimization

Multi-Platform Optimization

Responsive Design Configurations

Platform-Specific Optimizations

Configuration Management

Environment-Based Configs

Version Management

Testing and Validation

Configuration Testing

Automated Testing

Best Practices

Configuration Guidelines

Performance Considerations

Next Steps