If you've built more than one React Native app, you know the feeling. You start a new project, get to the navigation setup, and suddenly 2 days are gone . Not because you're slow. Because React Navigation has moving parts that nobody explains together in one place. Nested navigators Auth switching Typed routes Why is the tab bar showing on this screen? Why does going back take me to the wrong place? I've been there. Every project. Same pain, different client. So when I started building my open source React Native starter kit, I decided to figure this out properly — once and for all — and document every decision along the way. Here's what I learned. The Mental Model (Start Here) Before touching any code, you need one simple mental model. Think of navigation like a stack of cards on a table. Navigator Mental Model Stack Navigator Cards stacked on top of each other. Going back removes the top card. Tab Navigator Multiple piles side by side.…