When it comes to developing UI components for iOS, it seems every week I am involved in a discussion or debate over best practices. The conformist side is following the “Apple Way” of using Xcode storyboards and iOS Auto Layout as the best tools to develop your iOS UI views. The consultant side leans toward a broader “it depends” look at best practices.

There are alternative, valid approaches in developing responsive, well designed UI components other than using storyboards and Auto Layout. Sometimes, these approaches are the “best way”.

Two articles that explore these approaches in detail are:

• iOS User Interfaces: Storyboards vs Nibs vs Custom Code by Antonio Bello, iOS Developer at Toptal Engineering. This article does a great job laying the groundwork to answer the inevitable “it depends” response.

• Layout Managers for iOS Views. This is an article I wrote when Auto Layout was in its infancy. It still has relevance and I have been thinking how it could compliment Auto Layout when the “right way” to implement a UI component is custom code.

I recommend taking the time to read these articles and gain useful insight into finding the right fit to build your iOS UI components.