swiftdata

SwiftData

Persist, query, and manage structured data in iOS 26+ apps using SwiftData with Swift 6.3.

Contents

• Model Definition
• ModelContainer Setup
• CloudKit Sync
• CRUD Operations
• @Query in SwiftUI
• #Predicate
• FetchDescriptor
• Schema Versioning and Migration
• Concurrency (@ModelActor)
• SwiftUI Integration
• Common Mistakes
• Review Checklist
• References

Model Definition

Apply @Model to a class (not struct). Generates PersistentModel, Observable, Sendable.

@Model
class Trip {
    var name: String
    var destination: String
    var startDate: Date
    var endDate: Date
    var isFavorite: Bool = false
    @Attribute(.externalStorage) var imageData: Data?
    @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \LivingAccommodation.trip)
    var accommodation: LivingAccommodation?
    @Transient var isSelected: Bool = false  // Always provide default

    init(name: String, destination: String, startDate: Date, endDate: Date) {
        self.name = name; self.destination = destination
        self.startDate = startDate; self.endDate = endDate
    }
}

@Attribute options: .externalStorage, .unique, .spotlight, .allowsCloudEncryption, .preserveValueOnDeletion (iOS 18+), .ephemeral, .transformable(by:). Rename: @Attribute(originalName: "old_name").

@Relationship: deleteRule: .cascade/.nullify(default)/.deny/.noAction. Specify inverse: for reliable behavior. Unidirectional (iOS 18+): inverse: nil.

#Unique (iOS 18+): #Unique<Person>([\.firstName, \.lastName]) -- compound uniqueness.

Inheritance (iOS 26+): @Model class BusinessTrip: Trip { var company: String }.

Supported types: Bool, Int/UInt variants, Float, Double, String, Date, Data, URL, UUID, Decimal, Array, Dictionary, Set, Codable enums, Codable structs and other compatible Codable value types, and relationships to @Model classes.

ModelContainer Setup

// Basic
let container = try ModelContainer(for: Trip.self, LivingAccommodation.self)

// Configured
let config = ModelConfiguration("Store", isStoredInMemoryOnly: false,
    groupContainer: .identifier("group.com.example.app"),
    cloudKitDatabase: .private("iCloud.com.example.app"))
let container = try ModelContainer(for: Trip.self, configurations: config)

// With migration plan
let container = try ModelContainer(for: SchemaV2.Trip.self,
    migrationPlan: TripMigrationPlan.self)

// In-memory (previews/tests)
let container = try ModelContainer(for: Trip.self,
    configurations: ModelConfiguration(isStoredInMemoryOnly: true))

CloudKit Sync

ModelConfiguration(..., cloudKitDatabase:) opts a SwiftData store into automatic CloudKit sync, but app entitlements still gate sync.

For any SwiftData CloudKit setup or schema-review task, include a separate Capabilities verdict before schema findings:

• Capabilities: Xcode target has the iCloud capability with CloudKit enabled

and the intended container selected, plus Background Modes > Remote notifications. Without these entitlements, automatic sync is not fully configured even if cloudKitDatabase is set.

• Schema compatibility: no @Attribute(.unique) or #Unique;

relationships are optional, have explicit inverses where needed, and avoid .deny; large Data uses @Attribute(.externalStorage).

• Scalar attributes: do not make every scalar optional just for CloudKit.

Keep required scalars nonoptional when initializers, defaults, or migrations provide valid values.

• Schema rollout: initialize the development schema only in nonproduction

builds, verify it in CloudKit Dashboard, promote before release, and treat production changes as additive only.

CRUD Operations

// CREATE
let trip = Trip(name: "Summer", destination: "Paris", startDate: .now, endDate: .now + 86400*7)
modelContext.insert(trip)
try modelContext.save()  // or rely on autosave

// READ
let trips = try modelContext.fetch(FetchDescriptor<Trip>(
    predicate: #Predicate { $0.destination == "Paris" },
    sortBy: [SortDescriptor(\.startDate)]))

// UPDATE -- modify properties directly; autosave handles persistence
trip.destination = "Rome"

// DELETE
modelContext.delete(trip)
try modelContext.delete(model: Trip.self, where: #Predicate { $0.isFavorite == false })

// TRANSACTION (atomic)
try modelContext.transaction {
    modelContext.insert(trip); trip.isFavorite = true
}

@Query in SwiftUI

struct TripListView: View {
    @Query(filter: #Predicate<Trip> { $0.isFavorite == true },
           sort: \.startDate, order: .reverse)
    private var favorites: [Trip]

    var body: some View { List(favorites) { trip in Text(trip.name) } }
}

// Dynamic query via init
struct SearchView: View {
    @Query private var trips: [Trip]
    init(search: String) {
        _trips = Query(filter: #Predicate<Trip> { trip in
            search.isEmpty || trip.name.localizedStandardContains(search)
        }, sort: [SortDescriptor(\.name)])
    }
    var body: some View { List(trips) { trip in Text(trip.name) } }
}

// FetchDescriptor query
struct RecentView: View {
    static var desc: FetchDescriptor<Trip> {
        var d = FetchDescriptor<Trip>(sortBy: [SortDescriptor(\.startDate)])
        d.fetchLimit = 5; return d
    }
    @Query(RecentView.desc) private var recent: [Trip]
    var body: some View { List(recent) { trip in Text(trip.name) } }
}

#Predicate

#Predicate<Trip> { $0.destination.localizedStandardContains("paris") }  // String
#Predicate<Trip> { $0.startDate > Date.now }                            // Date
#Predicate<Trip> { $0.isFavorite && $0.destination != "Unknown" }       // Compound
#Predicate<Trip> { $0.accommodation?.name != nil }                      // Optional
#Predicate<Trip> { $0.tags.contains { $0.name == "adventure" } }        // Collection

Supported: ==, !=, <, <=, >, >=, &&, ||, !, contains(), allSatisfy(), filter(), starts(with:), localizedStandardContains(), caseInsensitiveCompare(), arithmetic, conditional expressions, optional chaining and binding, nil coalescing, type casting. Avoid: loops, nested declarations, mutations, and arbitrary unsupported method calls.

FetchDescriptor

var d = FetchDescriptor<Trip>(predicate: ..., sortBy: [...])
d.fetchLimit = 20; d.fetchOffset = 0
d.includePendingChanges = true
d.propertiesToFetch = [\.name, \.startDate]
d.relationshipKeyPathsForPrefetching = [\.accommodation]
let trips = try modelContext.fetch(d)
let count = try modelContext.fetchCount(d)
let ids = try modelContext.fetchIdentifiers(d)
try modelContext.enumerate(d, batchSize: 1000) { trip in trip.isProcessed = true }

Schema Versioning and Migration

enum SchemaV1: VersionedSchema {
    static var versionIdentifier = Schema.Version(1, 0, 0)
    static var models: [any PersistentModel.Type] { [Trip.self] }
    @Model class Trip { var name: String; init(name: String) { self.name = name } }
}

enum SchemaV2: VersionedSchema {
    static var versionIdentifier = Schema.Version(2, 0, 0)
    static var models: [any PersistentModel.Type] { [Trip.self] }
    @Model class Trip {
        var name: String; var startDate: Date?  // New property
        init(name: String) { self.name = name }
    }
}

enum TripMigrationPlan: SchemaMigrationPlan {
    static var schemas: [any VersionedSchema.Type] { [SchemaV1.self, SchemaV2.self] }
    static var stages: [MigrationStage] { [migrateV1toV2] }
    static let migrateV1toV2 = MigrationStage.lightweight(
        fromVersion: SchemaV1.self, toVersion: SchemaV2.self)
}

// Custom migration for data transformation
static let migrateV2toV3 = MigrationStage.custom(
    fromVersion: SchemaV2.self, toVersion: SchemaV3.self,
    willMigrate: nil,
    didMigrate: { context in
        let trips = try context.fetch(FetchDescriptor<SchemaV3.Trip>())
        for trip in trips { trip.displayName = trip.name.capitalized }
        try context.save()
    })

Lightweight handles: adding optional/defaulted properties, renaming (originalName), removing properties, adding model types.

Concurrency (@ModelActor)

@ModelActor
actor DataHandler {
    func importTrips(_ records: [TripRecord]) throws {
        for r in records {
            modelContext.insert(Trip(name: r.name, destination: r.dest,
                                    startDate: r.start, endDate: r.end))
        }
        try modelContext.save()  // Always save explicitly in @ModelActor
    }

    func process(tripID: PersistentIdentifier) throws {
        guard let trip = self[tripID, as: Trip.self] else { return }
        trip.isProcessed = true; try modelContext.save()
    }
}

let handler = DataHandler(modelContainer: container)
try await handler.importTrips(records)

Rules: ModelContainer is Sendable. ModelContext is NOT -- use on its creating actor. Pass PersistentIdentifier (Sendable) across boundaries. Never pass @Model objects across actors.

SwiftUI Integration

@main
struct MyApp: App {
    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup { ContentView() }
            .modelContainer(for: [Trip.self, LivingAccommodation.self])
    }
}

struct DetailView: View {
    @Environment(\.modelContext) private var modelContext
    let trip: Trip
    var body: some View {
        Text(trip.name)
        Button("Delete") { modelContext.delete(trip) }
    }
}

#Preview {
    let config = ModelConfiguration(isStoredInMemoryOnly: true)
    let container = try! ModelContainer(for: Trip.self, configurations: config)
    container.mainContext.insert(Trip(name: "Preview", destination: "London",
        startDate: .now, endDate: .now + 86400))
    return TripListView().modelContainer(container)
}

Common Mistakes

1. @Model on struct -- Use class. @Model requires reference semantics.

2. @Transient without default -- Always provide default: @Transient var x: Bool = false.

3. Missing .modelContainer -- @Query returns empty without a container on the view hierarchy.

4. Passing model objects across actors:

// WRONG: await handler.process(trip: trip)
// CORRECT: await handler.process(tripID: trip.persistentModelID)

5. ModelContext on wrong actor:

// WRONG: Task.detached { context.fetch(...) }
// CORRECT: Use @ModelActor for background work

6. Unsupported #Predicate expressions:

// WRONG: #Predicate<Trip> { $0.name.uppercased() == "PARIS" }
// CORRECT: #Predicate<Trip> { $0.name.localizedStandardContains("paris") }

7. Flow control in #Predicate:

// WRONG: #Predicate<Trip> { for tag in $0.tags { ... } }
// CORRECT: #Predicate<Trip> { $0.tags.contains { $0.name == "x" } }

8. No save in @ModelActor -- Always call try modelContext.save() explicitly.

9. ObservableObject with @Model -- Never use ObservableObject/@Published. @Model generates Observable. Use @Query in views.

10. Non-optional relationship without default:

// WRONG: var accommodation: LivingAccommodation  // crashes on reconstitution
// CORRECT: var accommodation: LivingAccommodation?

11. Cascade without inverse -- Specify inverse: for reliable cascade delete behavior.

12. DispatchQueue for background data work:

// WRONG: DispatchQueue.global().async { ModelContext(container).fetch(...) }
// CORRECT: @ModelActor actor Handler { func fetch() throws { ... } }

Review Checklist

• [ ] Every @Model is a class with a designated initializer
• [ ] All @Transient properties have default values
• [ ] Relationships specify deleteRule and inverse
• [ ] .modelContainer attached at scene/root view level
• [ ] @Query used for reactive data display in SwiftUI
• [ ] #Predicate uses only supported operators
• [ ] Background work uses @ModelActor
• [ ] PersistentIdentifier used across actor boundaries
• [ ] Schema changes have VersionedSchema + SchemaMigrationPlan
• [ ] Large data uses @Attribute(.externalStorage)
• [ ] CloudKit models avoid uniqueness, use optional relationships, avoid .deny, and do not blanket-optionalize scalars
• [ ] CloudKit sync has iCloud + CloudKit, Remote notifications, and production schema rollout checked
• [ ] Explicit save() in @ModelActor methods
• [ ] Previews use ModelConfiguration(isStoredInMemoryOnly: true)
• [ ] @Model classes accessed from SwiftUI views are on @MainActor via @ModelActor or MainActor isolation

References

• references/swiftdata-advanced.md — custom data stores, history tracking, CloudKit, composite attributes, model inheritance, undo/redo, performance
• references/swiftdata-queries.md — @Query variants, FetchDescriptor deep dive, sectioned queries, dynamic queries, background fetch
• references/core-data-coexistence.md — standalone Core Data patterns and Core Data to SwiftData migration
• references/predicate-pitfalls.md — #Predicate runtime crashes, unsupported expressions, safe patterns
• references/indexing.md — #Index macro, compound indexes, when to index, migration