A Beginner’s Guide to SwiftData in iOS 17

One common question in SwiftUI app development is how to work with Core Data to save data permanently in the built-in database. Despite Apple’s ongoing efforts to simplify the APIs of Core Data, new comers often find the framework challenging to use. However, there is good news on the horizon. Apple will be releasing a new framework called SwiftData in iOS 17 to replace Core Data. SwiftData is designed to be much easier to use for data modelling and management, offering a more user-friendly approach.

What’s SwiftData

First and foremost, it’s important to note that the SwiftData framework should not be confused with a database. Built on top of Core Data, SwiftData is actually a framework designed to help developers manage and interact with data on a persistent store. While the default persistent store for iOS is typically the SQLite database, it’s worth noting that persistent stores can take other forms as well. For example, Core Data can also be used to manage data in a local file, such as an XML file.

Regardless of whether you’re using Core Data or the SwiftData framework, both tools serve to shield developers from the complexities of the underlying persistent store. Consider the SQLite database, for instance. With SwiftData, there’s no need to worry about connecting to the database or understanding SQL in order to retrieve data records. Instead, developers can focus on working with APIs and Swift Macros, such as @Query and @Model, to effectively manage data in their…