Libraries I consider for a new iOS project

I do not add the same dependencies to every iOS project. Each dependency adds maintenance work, so it should solve a clear problem.

Still, a short list helps when I start a project. These are the libraries and tools that I consider first.

User interface#

I prefer SwiftUI for new interfaces, so this section does not include UIKit-specific libraries.

Kingfisher#

Kingfisher handles common image downloading, caching, and display tasks:

• Load images asynchronously.
• Cache images.
• Display placeholders, loading indicators, and fade-in effects for downloaded images.
• Load animated images, such as Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) files.

I consider Kingfisher when an app loads many remote images or needs more control than a small custom loader provides.

Networking#

Alamofire#

Alamofire is a Swift Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) networking library. Its interface builds on Apple’s Foundation networking stack.

Alamofire can:

• Make network requests.
• Handle, validate, and cache responses.
• Handle authentication.
• Download and upload data.
• Adapt and retry requests.
• Apply security controls, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) pinning.

Foundation can handle many networking needs without another dependency. I consider Alamofire when its request adapters, retries, or response handling remove meaningful project code.

Security#

KeychainAccess#

iOS apps must protect passwords, authentication tokens, and other credentials. KeychainAccess wraps Keychain with a smaller Swift interface.

KeychainAccess provides these features:

• Store and retrieve sensitive data in the keychain.
• Synchronize Keychain items with iCloud.
• Integrate with Touch ID and Face ID.
• Use Shared Web Credentials.

Tools#

Firebase/Crashlytics#

Firebase Crashlytics is a crash-reporting tool from Google’s Firebase platform. It helps teams investigate crashes that affect users.

Firebase Crashlytics provides these capabilities:

• Curated crash reports with detailed stack traces.
• Real-time alerts for new issues, regressed issues, and growing issues.

SwiftLint#

SwiftLint enforces Swift style and conventions in your codebase. Its configurable rules can match your team’s coding standards and preferences.

SwiftLint provides:

• Code style enforcement.
• Customizable rules and configurations.
• Integration with Xcode and continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.

Integrate the dependencies with CocoaPods#

This example uses CocoaPods as the dependency manager. Add the dependencies that your project needs to its Podfile:

# User Interface
pod 'Kingfisher'

# Networking
pod 'Alamofire'

# Security
pod 'KeychainAccess'

# Tools
pod 'Firebase/Crashlytics'
pod 'SwiftLint'

Treat this list as a starting point, not a project template. Before you add a dependency, check its maintenance status and confirm that the project needs it.