What’s a framework?

A framework is a hierarchical listing that encapsulates shared assets, reminiscent of a dynamic shared library, nib information, picture information, localized strings, header information, and reference documentation in a single bundle.

So in a nutshell, a framework is a extremely reusable part on your apps.

Learn how to make it?

There’s an article about Xcode conventions which is able to show you how to manage your initiatives, it’s best to verify that first, if you have not earlier than.

Conventional means

There’s a conventional solution to make a framework in Xcode. I’ll create a shared framework for all of the apple platforms (iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS), which goes to be able to logging issues to the usual console.

Let’s make the challenge:

• Create a brand new challenge utilizing one of many framework targets
• Comply with the directions fill & title all of the fields
• Add all the opposite platform framework targets
• Rename all targets in response to the platform names

Now in Finder:

• Create a Sources folder and transfer all of the Swift and header information there
• Create an Belongings folder with platforms subfolders
• Transfer all of the Information.plist information into the right platfrom subdirectory
• Create a Checks folder and transfer check information there

Again to Xcode:

• Take away each group and add the brand new Folders from Finder
• Test that each goal has the right information (framework & checks)
• Contained in the header file, change UIKit depencency with Basis

The purpose is to realize a construction considerably like this:

Mission settings:

• Choose the right plist information for the targets
• Set your bundle identifiers (use my conventions)
• Setup platform variations (recommendation: help 1 older model too)
• Setup the plist information for the checks from the construct settings pane
• Set the product title (Console) in your framework construct settings
• Test your construct phases and add the general public header file.

Scheme settings:

• Go to the scheme settings and setup shared schemes for the frameworks
• Collect protection information in the event you want it
• Write your framework you need to use Swift “macros” to detect platforms

There’s a flag in Xcode to permit app extension API solely, in case you are embedding your framework inside an utility extension it must be enabled!

Congratulations, now you may have your model new Swift framework made within the conventional means. Let’s proceed with a neat trick.

Common cross platform framework

It’s doable to create a multiplatform single scheme Xcode challenge with cross platform help for each platform, but it surely’s not really useful as a result of it is a hack. Nonetheless a number of open supply libraries do the identical means, so why should not we.

• Delete all of the targets, schemes, besides macOS!!!
• Rename the remaining goal, scheme (we do not want platform names)
• Use the challenge configuration file, set the xcconfig on the challenge
• Delete Information.plist information, use one for the framework and one for the checks
• Rename bundle identifier (we do not want platform names there too)

States could be combined up in case you are constructing for a number of platforms, nonetheless this can be a good clear solution to help each platforms, with out duplications.

Learn how to use a Swift framework?

Embedding your framework is essentially the most simple factor to do. You’ll be able to merely drag the framework challenge to a different Xcode challenge, the one factor left to do is to the embedded the framework into the appliance. You’ll be able to go to the embedded binaries part inside the overall challenge information tab and add the framework as a dependency.

Swift Package deal Supervisor

With SPM, you need to make a Package deal.swift file first, then you can construct your targets with the swift construct command. Now that Xcode helps the Swift Package deal Supervisor, it is very easy to combine third celebration frameworks by utilizing it.

You’ll be able to obtain the ultimate framework examples from GitHub.

Just be sure you do not miss out my deep dive into swift frameworks publish.