Server-Driven UI explained
What is SDUI?
Instead of hardcoding your app's UI, let your server define it. Change layouts, add features, and fix bugs without waiting for app store approval.
How SDUI Works
Your mobile app is a rendering engine. Instead of hardcoding every screen and component, the server sends JSON that describes what to show. Your app interprets this and builds the UI on the fly.
Why This Matters
Mobile app development has a problem: app store review delays. You can't just push a quick fix or try a new layout. Every change means submitting to Apple and Google, waiting days for approval, then hoping users update. SDUI fixes this:
- • Change your UI instantly without app updates
- • Test different layouts with A/B experiments
- • Ship features to a small group first, then expand
- • Keep iOS and Android in sync from one place
- • Kill buggy features immediately if needed
SDUI vs Traditional Mobile Development
Traditional Apps
UI is built into your app code. Want to change something? Submit a new version and wait.
- UI changes require app releases
- 7-14 day app store review wait
- Can't fix bugs instantly
- Build iOS and Android separately
- A/B testing requires multiple builds
Server-Driven UI
Server defines the UI. Update it anytime without touching your app code.
- Server controls what users see
- Update UI instantly, no app store
- Push changes or roll them back fast
- One config for iOS and Android
- Show different UI per user easily
When SDUI Makes Sense
SDUI isn't magic. It solves specific problems but brings its own tradeoffs.
What You Gain
Skip App Store Reviews
Found a bug in your checkout flow? Fix it on the server. Users see the fix immediately. No waiting for Apple or Google.
Test Fast
Show half your users a new layout, see which converts better. Change it next week if you want. No app updates needed.
Kill Bad Features
Shipped something that crashes? Turn it off from your server. You don't need to wait days for a hotfix release.
One Source of Truth
Write your UI config once. iOS and Android render it the same way. No more keeping two codebases in sync.
What It Costs
Needs Internet
Your app depends on network requests to load UIs. You need good caching or offline fallbacks for spotty connections.
More Server Work
Your backend gets more complex. You're not just serving data anymore - you're serving UI logic, handling versions, managing configs.
Can Feel Slower
First loads take longer because of network round trips. Cache aggressively and preload when you can.
Harder to Debug
When something breaks, it could be the server config or the client rendering. You need better logging and error tracking.
Practical Examples
Here's how companies use SDUI to move faster.
Black Friday Sale
It's Thursday night. Launch your sale UI now.
Update banners, promos, and layouts for the weekend. No app release needed.
“An e-commerce app changed their entire home screen for Black Friday - new banners, deals section, different navigation. Users opened the app Friday morning and saw it. Zero app updates.”
Weekly Learning Challenges
Content team ships without engineering
Your content team creates new challenges every Monday. Developers don't touch it.
“An education platform releases a new coding challenge every week with custom layouts and progress tracking. The content team does it all - no developer involved.”
Different UI Per Country
Europe sees one thing, Asia sees another
Show different layouts based on location. Different regulations? Different features.
“A banking app shows completely different features in Europe vs Asia. European users see SEPA transfers, Asian users see local payment methods. Same app, different server configs.”
Where SDUI Works Well
SDUI makes the most sense when you need to change layouts often or show different UIs to different users.
E-commerce & Retail
Change product displays for Black Friday. Test two checkout flows. Show personalized deals. No app updates.
- Update product catalogs for sales
- Show different recommendations per user
- Launch flash sales instantly
- Test checkout flows with A/B experiments
Content & Media Apps
Instagram and TikTok change their feeds constantly. You can too.
- Try new feed layouts without shipping
- Test different discovery algorithms
- Roll out engagement features to 10% of users
- Personalize what each user sees
Financial Services
New regulations? Update the UI same day. Different rules per country? Easy.
- Different dashboards for retail vs business users
- Push compliance changes immediately
- Show relevant financial insights per user
- Adapt to regional banking regulations
Learning & Education
Content teams ship new lessons weekly. No waiting for developers.
- Release weekly challenges with custom layouts
- Adapt learning paths based on progress
- Update curriculum without app releases
- Customize progress tracking per student
Gaming & Entertainment
Launch seasonal events. Test new game modes. Change the shop layout. All server-side.
- New levels and game modes on the fly
- Limited-time events and announcements
- Update character screens and shops
- Test different purchase flows
Enterprise & Business
Different teams see different tools. Change workflows without redeploying.
- Role-based UI - sales sees different tools than support
- Build forms and workflows server-side
- Each department gets their own dashboard
- Adapt UI when integrating new tools
SDUI with Nativeblocks
We built Nativeblocks to make server-driven UI practical for production apps.
What's Included
SDKs for iOS, Android, React Native
Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android, TypeScript for React Native. Install from package managers, start rendering server configs.
Visual Editor
Build layouts visually instead of writing JSON by hand. Export configs to your server when done.
Live Updates
Change your config on the server. Apps fetch the new version next time they open. Roll back if something breaks.
A/B Testing & Analytics
Show different UIs to different users. Track which version performs better. Built into the platform.
Try It Out
Free tier available. No credit card needed to start.
- SDKs for iOS, Android, React Native
- Visual editor for building layouts
- Free tier, no credit card
- Documentation and code examples