I'm doing a series of book apps for a client. There's a lot of books in the series, and each one will be a separate app. Instead of making changes to all the apps every time they want something tweaked in all of them, like the position of a button or something, I'd like to make a universal "framework" (library?) that I can import to a project, just as I would do for one of the iOS SDK's frameworks. The framework would have all the universal components of the apps, which would include a controller class I would subclass in each app to do the app-specific things. Then when I need to make changes to all of them, I could just change the code in the framework, and it would affect all the apps that use it. I'd also like to be able to include common images and other media.
Do I want to use the "Cocoa Touch Static Library" template in Xcode? I also saw this project in github: https://github.com/kstenerud/iOS-Universal-Framework; would this be a better fit for what I'm trying to do?
For your purposes, the simplest approach would simply be to set it up as a static library project. Then, for each application you want to use it, drag the project into your workspace and add the static library product as a dependent target.
As far as I am aware, the current leading method for building a framework on iOS is Jeff Verkoeyen's iOS-Framework.
Related
I am working on a project with SwiftUI and it originally started with creating a new project as an "App" (Xcode, clicked on file, new, project, click on "App") but was then later asked to put it into a pod as a framework. I did it successfully (Xcode, clicked on file, new project, click on "Framework"), however I am unsure what the differences are and I'm unsure why I would want to do that. To me they look very similar, except that I'm unable to launch my project as a framework in the simulator. Luckily SwiftUI offers the canvas preview window however it is a bit finicky when it comes to certain button interactions, which is why I am wanting to use the simulator.
Two places of confusion:
What is the difference between an app and a framework project?
Why is it more advantageous to have my project as a framework?
An App is a standalone application that can be launched and run. For example, all of the apps that you have on your phone are just that -- apps. You tap on them and they launch and run, presenting a user interface, accepting input, etc.
A framework is something else entirely. It's a collection of code that is bundled together into a package that is used by another framework or by an app. Some frameworks are provided by the system -- for example, SwiftUI is a framework that it sounds like you're using in your app. Other frameworks are provided by 3rd parties. For example, you can find many frameworks via CocoaPods or the Swift Package Manager -- Alamofire is a common example. Also, you can make your own frameworks and use them in your own code as a form of organization and separation of responsibilities.
Why is it more advantageous to have my project as a framework?
It is not -- they are two almost completely different concepts (besides both ultimately being collections of code and resources). If you intend to build an app that is launch-able on someone's device, your only choice is to make an app. If you intend to make a collection of reusable code for use in your or someone else's app, than you would make a framework.
Excellent answer (and upvoted) by #jnpdx. Let me give you a physical example:
(1) Create a project in Xcode that is a framework. Call it "MyAppKit". Inside it create, well, basically anything - a View, UIView, or more likely a function that will be shared by several views. (Let's go with that.)
public func setLoginName(_ login:String) -> String {
return ""Hello, " + login + "!";
}
Pretty simple. Call it, pass in something, and it returns a string saying hello. Please note the public piece. It matters. (And there's much more there. This is a simple example.)
(2) Now we get to your app or apps. Let's say you have two apps that need to use this (again, very simple) code. One is SwiftUI, one is UIKit. (It doesn't matter except for syntax.) Sine my forte is UIKit I'll use that. (And it can be several dozen apps too.)
import MyAppKit
let myLoginMessage = setLoginName("World").
Pretty much, it's "Hello, World!'
Again, this is really a nonsensical example. But it should get you started on what the difference in Xcode is between a Framework project and an App project is.
I am trying to figure out what would be a good way of setting up application architecture and how to setup Xcode project itself, in the case where I have one base application, and I need to make multiple applications of it where the all apps will have those same base functionalities but will differ in a way that:
Assets may be different
Some features can be added ( new screens that uses new endpoints that are not defined in base app)
Localization can be differ (eg. one app can only be translated to english, and other can support multilanguages)
and probably some more, but you get an idea of what kind of an app (kinda template app) I am referring to.
What would be a preferred way to implement something like this? I guess targets and making a framework for a shared code is one way to go? Or there is something else that would be suitable too?
Target is a good start. Thanks to target memberships, you can "share" storyboards, source files and whatever you want between several targets. Then within each specific target, you add your assets and specific functionalities.
Frameworks can be also a good way to share functionalities between apps. But you can start and try simply with targets, and then later factorize code within frameworks.
The way I would do it could be this way :
Create your project with a single target, let's call it "Blank App"
Develop functionalities and prepare generic assets for this app
When you want to add a new App, duplicate the "Blank App" target, remove membership of default assets, add new ones, add also specific source and resource files, and that's it.
After a few targets, you can spot what can be factorized within frameworks. Add a new framework target, migrate your sources in it, make all apps use this framework, and you'll have a nice system.
I've looked everywhere and no article gives me exactly the solution I'm looking for.
Is there a way to "install" a custom framework into Xcode?
For example, let's say I've created a framework called 'MyAwesomeFramework' which is really reusable (for example contains a lot of useful UIView extensions). Now what I want to do is be able to just create any new project and type import MyAwesomeFramework to use it, instead of having to add the respective Xcode Project to the project I want to use it in.
Apple Documentation
There are a few different options. You can manually add them via drag and drop or use one of many framework managers such as Carthage or Cocoapods.
Whatever method you choose has a few steps and can be a bit daunting initially so I’d recommend following a tutorial of some sort(I used YouTube). If done correctly you will be able to just import like you would do any other library.
I am intern student who working mobile applications on swift. I created an app for company and I need to embed my app to other partner firm's app. I look some solutions on stackoverflow but they were not clear, Should I use target file? How to embed one app to another app?
Thanks for all help!!
Embedding one app to another isn't quiet right definition. What you are looking for is a Dynamic Framework. You can add a new Dynamic Framework target to your partner's app and move all the functionality and resources you need from your app.
https://developer.apple.com/library/content/technotes/tn2435/_index.html
A framework is a hierarchical directory that encapsulates a dynamic library, header files, and resources, such as storyboards, image files, and localized strings, into a single package. Apps using frameworks need to embed the framework in the app's bundle.
In case if you only want to allow the user to navigate from one app to another, you should use iOS Deep Linking mechanism. There are many third party, ready to use solutions for that, like Branch.
https://branch.io/
This can be usefull as well:
https://developer.apple.com/ios/universal-links/
This can be accomplished by defining a URL schema for your app so that the partner's app can point to.
Here is a tutorial that you need
http://www.brianjcoleman.com/tutorial-deep-linking-in-swift/
So I watched the whole video ("Building modern frameworks") here and I still have some questions. The last 11 minutes is the actual demo if you want to watch it, but to sum up he creates a framework and then stops. He does not show how to share it or place it in other projects.
1.) In order to use the frameworks in other projects I have to import both the simulator framework and the device framework to work? Is that correct?
2.) Can I copy the actual framework out of the build folder to use in other projects?
3.) Is it possible to keep the framework up to date among different projects? Like change method A in the first project and the change is also visible in the second project?
4.) The guy from here has also an option for keeping pieces of code in sync with different projects. In short: He makes a project (framework) places all the code in it who should be the same in other projects. He then copies the framework in other projects and does not copy the framework in there, but just links it. Is this a good method? Will this be accepted by Apple?