The Backpocket mobile app is built with Expo 54 and React Native, designed from the ground up with an offline-first architecture. It provides nearly full feature parity with the web app, plus mobile-specific capabilities like share sheet integration, haptic feedback, and swipe gestures.
Tech stack
| Technology | Purpose |
|---|
| Expo 54 | React Native framework |
| React Native | Cross-platform mobile UI |
| NativeWind | Tailwind CSS for React Native |
| SQLite | Local offline database |
| Convex | Real-time backend |
| Clerk | Authentication |
Tab navigation
The app is organized into four tabs:
| Tab | Description |
|---|
| Home | Dashboard with recent saves and quick stats |
| Saves | Full save list with search and filters |
| Collections | Browse and manage collections |
| Settings | Profile, appearance, offline, public space |
Share sheet integration
The fastest way to save on mobile — share from any app:
Find content in any app
Safari, Chrome, Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram — any app with a share button.
Tap share, select Backpocket
The system share sheet shows Backpocket as an option. Tap it.
Instant save
The URL is saved with auto-extracted metadata. Haptic feedback confirms the save.
The share sheet works even when offline. Saves are queued locally and sync when you reconnect.
Swipe actions
Swipe on any save for quick actions:
| Direction | Action |
|---|
| Swipe right | Toggle favorite (star/unstar) |
| Swipe left | Archive or delete |
Haptic feedback
The app uses subtle haptic feedback for key interactions:
- Saving a link
- Favoriting/unfavoriting
- Archiving
- Pull-to-refresh completion
- Swipe action triggers
This gives the app a tactile, native feel that enhances the user experience.
Pull to refresh
Pull down on any list to sync and refresh your data. The app shows a native pull-to-refresh indicator and syncs with the server.
Deep linking
Backpocket supports the backpocket:// URL scheme:
- Links shared from the app open directly in Backpocket when installed
- Deep links can navigate to specific saves, collections, or settings
Offline capabilities
The mobile app has full offline support:
| Feature | Offline |
|---|
| Browse saves | ✅ |
| Search | ✅ |
| Read content | ✅ |
| Save new links | ✅ (queued) |
| Edit saves | ✅ (queued) |
| Delete saves | ✅ (queued) |
- SQLite database for structured data
- File cache for reader mode content and images
- Background sync with WiFi-only option
- Instant boot from local data (no splash screen blocking)
Full offline mode guide →
Settings
| Section | What you can configure |
|---|
| Profile | Name, bio, avatar, slug |
| Appearance | Light/dark/system theme |
| Notifications | Push notification preferences |
| Offline | WiFi-only sync toggle |
| Public Space | Visibility, theme (domain management is web-only) |
| Platform | Minimum version |
|---|
| iOS | iOS 16+ |
| Android | Android 13+ |
| iPad | Supported |
