SwiftUI Alignment

SwiftUI alignment is about intent, not a literal port of Apple's layout engine.

SwiftUI.js keeps the public mental model familiar:

• stacks express layout direction
• alignment communicates how children should line up
• spacing remains a first-class decision instead of an incidental margin

The Web Constraint

On the web, alignment is implemented through CSS layout systems like flexbox and grid.

That means SwiftUI.js should prefer APIs that map cleanly onto those systems instead of emulating hidden measurement behavior that would be fragile in React.

Practical Rule

When you reach for alignment in SwiftUI.js, think in two layers:

1. Intent layer: what edge, axis, or reading order should the layout communicate?
2. Implementation layer: which DOM layout system can deliver that behavior predictably?

This keeps the API SwiftUI-flavored while keeping the implementation stable and testable.

Guidance

• Use stack alignment to control cross-axis behavior.
• Use tokenized spacing instead of ad hoc one-off gaps.
• Prefer semantic composition over deeply nested wrappers created only to force layout tricks.
• Treat layout behavior as observable product behavior and test it at the component boundary.