Developer rebuilds iPhone 3GS UI as a 23-component React library using CSS gradients
A developer has recreated the classic iPhone 3GS user interface as a React component library, comprising 23 components styled to match the original iOS look. The project revealed that nearly all of the era's distinctive visual style stems from a single CSS gradient technique, specifically a hard-stop linear gradient at the 50% mark that mimics a glossy glass surface. Components such as buttons, the navigation bar, the toggle switch, and the tab bar all share the same core gradient recipe with only colour variations. To avoid hard-coding values, the developer used CSS custom properties with a semantic token layer, allowing full theme switching — including the original blue-grey and black glass iOS 3 chromes — via a single override file. The approach means new themes can be added without modifying any individual component.
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