In some implementations, a method of generating a constraint-based adaptive graphical user interface (GUI) from a static GUI design includes, obtaining a static GUI that includes a plurality of views, identifying a root view and a child view of the static GUI, applying one or more constraints to the child view based on a spatial relation of the child view to borders of the root view, determining that the child view is not fully constrained, in response to determining that the child view is not fully constrained, applying one or more additional constraints to the child view based on a spatial distance between the child view and an additional view that is a neighbor of the child view, and generating the constraint-based adaptive GUI in one or more sizes that differ from a size of the static GUI based on the one or more constraints.