Step-by-Step Development Plan for Infinite Image Feed

Here's a progressive build-up where each step adds one new concept, and you have a working app at the end of each step:

Step 1: Basic Collection View with Static Data

Goal: Get familiar with modern collection view setup

What to build:

• Create a new iOS project
• Set up a basic UICollectionView with Compositional Layout (simple grid: 2 columns)
• Use Diffable Data Source with Cell Registration
• Display 20 hardcoded image URLs (just placeholder URLs or local asset names)
• Each cell shows a colored background with a label (no actual images yet)

What you learn:

• How compositional layout syntax works
• How to set up diffable data source
• How to apply snapshots
• Cell registration instead of old dequeue method

Validation: You should see a scrollable grid of 20 cells with labels.

Step 2: Add Basic Networking (First Page Only)

Goal: Fetch real data from an API