A Deep Dive into Airbnb’s Server-Driven UI System
Article Summary
Airbnb ships features simultaneously across web, iOS, and Android without waiting for app store releases. Their secret? Server-driven UI.
Ryan Brooks from Airbnb Engineering breaks down Ghost Platform, their unified SDUI system that lets backend engineers control both data and UI rendering across all platforms. Most of Airbnb's critical features (search, listings, checkout) now run on this architecture.
Key Takeaways
- Single GraphQL schema powers UI across web, iOS, and Android platforms
- Sections are independent, reusable UI blocks with zero feature coupling
- Backend controls layouts, actions, and even button clicks via IAction interface
- No app updates needed to ship new features or A/B test experiences
- Screens use dynamic ILayout system for responsive breakpoints
Critical Insight
Ghost Platform eliminates mobile versioning problems and platform fragmentation by moving UI logic to the backend, enabling instant feature deployment across all clients.
