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Best Practices for Binary Data (“Allows External Storage”) in Core Data with CloudKit Sync
Hello Apple Team, We’re building a CloudKit-enabled Core Data app and would like clarification on the behavior and performance characteristics of Binary Data attributes with “Allows External Storage” enabled when used with NSPersistentCloudKitContainer. Initially, we tried storing image files manually on disk and only saving the metadata (file URLs, dimensions, etc.) in Core Data. While this approach reduced the size of the Core Data store, it introduced instability after app updates and broke sync between devices. We would prefer to use the official Apple-recommended method and have Core Data manage image storage and CloudKit syncing natively. Specifically, we’d appreciate guidance on the following: When a Binary Data attribute is marked as “Allows External Storage”, large image files are stored as separate files on device rather than inline in the SQLite store. How effective is this mechanism in keeping the Core Data store size small on device? Are there any recommended size thresholds or known limits for how many externally stored blobs can safely be managed this way? How are these externally stored files handled during CloudKit sync? Does each externally stored Binary Data attribute get mirrored to CloudKit as a CKAsset? Does external storage reduce the sync payload size or network usage, or is the full binary data still uploaded/downloaded as part of the CKAsset? Are there any bandwidth implications for users syncing via their private CloudKit database, versus developer costs in the public CloudKit database? Is there any difference in CloudKit or Core Data behavior when a Binary Data attribute is managed this way versus manually storing image URLs and handling the file separately on disk? Our goal is to store user-generated images efficiently and safely sync them via CloudKit, without incurring excessive local database bloat or CloudKit network overhead. Any detailed guidance or internal performance considerations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Paul Barry Founder & Lead Developer — Boat Buddy / Vessel Buddy iOS App Archipelago Environmental Solutions Inc.
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Oct ’25
iCloud LiveSharing link to colaborate
Hi there!, I have been developing an app where you can create a collection and I want to add a new feature where you can share an iCloud link from that collection and collaborate with your family or friends who you share the link to complete that collection. Like Apple does with the notes app or some other apps. The problem I have encountered is programming in swift does not allow you to do that and I need to do it I Core Data... Do you think with all the new stuff announced during the WWDC26 It could be done in Swift or I have to change coding?? Thanks community for any help
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SwiftData: Crash when deleting from model, but only in prod
I'm testing my app before releasing to testers, and my app (both macOS and iOS) is crashing when I perform one operation, but only in the production build. I have data that loads from a remote source, and can be periodically updated. There is an option to delete all of that data from the iCloud data store, unless the user has modified a record. Each table has a flag to indicate that (userEdited). Here's the function that is crashing: func deleteCommonData<T:PersistentModel & SDBuddyModel>(_ type: T.Type) throws { try modelContext.delete(model: T.self, where: #Predicate<T> { !$0.userEdited }) } Here's one of the calls that results in a crash: try modelManager.deleteCommonData(Link.self) Here's the error from iOS Console: SwiftData/DataUtilities.swift:85: Fatal error: Couldn't find \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b9d208 (Bool)> on Link with fields [SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "id", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09b44 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional("54EC6602-CA7C-4EC7-AC06-16E7F2E22DE7"), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "name", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09b84 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional(""), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "url", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09bc4 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional(""), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "desc", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09c04 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional(""), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "userEdited", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09664 (Bool)>, defaultValue: Optional(false), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "modified", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09c44 (Date)>, defaultVal<…> Here's a fragment of the crash log: Exception Type: EXC_BREAKPOINT (SIGTRAP) Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000001, 0x000000019373222c Termination Reason: Namespace SIGNAL, Code 5, Trace/BPT trap: 5 Terminating Process: exc handler [80543] Thread 0 Crashed: 0 libswiftCore.dylib 0x19373222c _assertionFailure(_:_:file:line:flags:) + 176 1 SwiftData 0x22a222160 0x22a1ad000 + 479584 2 SwiftData 0x22a2709c0 0x22a1ad000 + 801216 3 SwiftData 0x22a221b08 0x22a1ad000 + 477960 4 SwiftData 0x22a27b0ec 0x22a1ad000 + 844012 5 SwiftData 0x22a27b084 0x22a1ad000 + 843908 6 SwiftData 0x22a28182c 0x22a1ad000 + 870444 7 SwiftData 0x22a2809e8 0x22a1ad000 + 866792 8 SwiftData 0x22a285204 0x22a1ad000 + 885252 9 SwiftData 0x22a281c7c 0x22a1ad000 + 871548 10 SwiftData 0x22a27cf6c 0x22a1ad000 + 851820 11 SwiftData 0x22a27cc48 0x22a1ad000 + 851016 12 SwiftData 0x22a27a6b0 0x22a1ad000 + 841392 13 SwiftData 0x22a285b2c 0x22a1ad000 + 887596 14 SwiftData 0x22a285a10 0x22a1ad000 + 887312 15 SwiftData 0x22a285bcc 0x22a1ad000 + 887756 16 SwiftData 0x22a27cf6c 0x22a1ad000 + 851820 17 SwiftData 0x22a27cc48 0x22a1ad000 + 851016 18 SwiftData 0x22a27a6b0 0x22a1ad000 + 841392 19 SwiftData 0x22a27c0d8 0x22a1ad000 + 848088 20 SwiftData 0x22a27a654 0x22a1ad000 + 841300 21 SwiftData 0x22a1be548 0x22a1ad000 + 70984 22 SwiftData 0x22a1cfd64 0x22a1ad000 + 142692 23 SwiftData 0x22a1b9618 0x22a1ad000 + 50712 24 SwiftData 0x22a1d2e8c 0x22a1ad000 + 155276 25 CoreData 0x187fbb568 thunk for @callee_guaranteed () -> (@out A, @error @owned Error) + 28 26 CoreData 0x187fc2300 partial apply for thunk for @callee_guaranteed () -> (@out A, @error @owned Error) + 24 27 CoreData 0x187fc19c4 closure #1 in closure #1 in NSManagedObjectContext._rethrowsHelper_performAndWait<A>(fn:execute:rescue:) + 192 28 CoreData 0x187fbbda8 thunk for @callee_guaranteed @Sendable () -> () + 28 29 CoreData 0x187fbbdd0 thunk for @escaping @callee_guaranteed @Sendable () -> () + 28 30 CoreData 0x187f663fc developerSubmittedBlockToNSManagedObjectContextPerform + 252 31 libdispatch.dylib 0x180336ac4 _dispatch_client_callout + 16 32 libdispatch.dylib 0x18032c940 _dispatch_lane_barrier_sync_invoke_and_complete + 56 33 CoreData 0x187fd7290 -[NSManagedObjectContext performBlockAndWait:] + 364 34 CoreData 0x187fc1fb8 NSManagedObjectContext.performAndWait<A>(_:) + 544 35 SwiftData 0x22a1b877c 0x22a1ad000 + 46972 36 SwiftData 0x22a1be2a8 0x22a1ad000 + 70312 37 SwiftData 0x22a1c0e34 0x22a1ad000 + 81460 38 SwiftData 0x22a23ea94 0x22a1ad000 + 596628 39 SwiftData 0x22a256828 0x22a1ad000 + 694312 40 Sourdough Buddy 0x104e5dc98 specialized ModelManager.deleteCommonData<A>(_:) + 144 (ModelManager.swift:128) [inlined] 41 Sourdough Buddy 0x104e5dc98 closure #1 in SettingsView.clearStarterData.getter + 876 (SettingsView.swift:243) It works if I do the following instead: try modelContext.delete(model: Link.self, where: #Predicate { !$0.userEdited }) Why would the func call work in development, but crash in production? And why does doing the more verbose way work instead? I think this is a bug. Thanks
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154
Oct ’25
CKSyncEngine: Duplicate FetchedRecordZoneChanges & Sync Handling Questions
Hi everyone, I've recently implemented CKSyncEngine in my app, and I have two questions regarding its behavior: Duplicate FetchedRecordZoneChanges After Sending Changes: I’ve noticed that the engine sometimes receives a FetchedRecordZoneChanges event containing modifications and deletions that were just sent by the same device a few moments earlier. This event arrives after the SentRecordZoneChanges event, and both events share the same recordChangeTag, which results in double-handling the record. Is this expected behavior? I’d like to confirm if this is how CKSyncEngine works or if I might be overlooking something. Handling Initial Sync with a "Sync Screen": When a user opens the app for the first time and already has data stored in iCloud, I need to display a "Sync Screen" temporarily to prevent showing partial data or triggering abrupt, rapid UI changes. I’ve found that canceling current operations, then awaiting sendChanges() and fetchChanges() works well to ensure data is fully synced before dismissing the sync screen: displaySyncScreen = true await syncEngine.cancelOperations() try await syncEngine.sendChanges() try await syncEngine.fetchChanges() displaySyncScreen = false However, I’m unsure if canceling operations like this could lead to data loss or other issues. Is this a safe approach, or would you recommend a better strategy for handling this initial sync state?
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1.1k
Apr ’26
Clarification on Current CloudKit CKAsset File Size Limits
Hi, I’m trying to find an authoritative and up-to-date answer regarding the maximum file size supported by CKAsset uploads in CloudKit. I know Apple documentation has historically referenced a 50 MB limit in some places, but from what I can tell, that limit appears to specifically apply to CloudKit Web Services rather than native CloudKit framework usage through CKAsset. At the same time, I frequently see reports from developers claiming they are successfully uploading significantly larger assets through CloudKit, sometimes well beyond 50 MB. However, I haven’t been able to find clear documentation confirming whether this behavior is officially supported, recommended, or simply tolerated under certain conditions. My use case involves potentially syncing assets larger than 50 MB, and I need to determine whether: CloudKit officially supports larger CKAsset uploads today There is a documented hard limit for native CloudKit CKAsset uploads Uploading larger assets is considered reliable/safe for production apps I should instead design around chunked uploads and reconstruction logic I’m specifically interested in current practical and documented limits for CKAsset in 2026, especially for private database usage on Apple platforms. If anyone from Apple or developers with production experience can clarify this, I’d appreciate it. I also opened a DTS incident regarding this question and was advised to ask on the forums so the answer can benefit other developers. Thanks. (I also opened a DTS incident regarding this question and was advised to ask on the forums so the answer can benefit other developers.)
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2w
Can a developer sponsor app-specific privateCloudDatabase storage for users?
Hi, We are developing an iOS/watchOS app that uses CloudKit private database and CKShare to let athletes share training data with their coaches. Current architecture: Each athlete owns their data in their privateCloudDatabase. The athlete can share selected records with a coach using CKShare. The coach accesses the shared data through the sharedCloudDatabase. This works very well for privacy, ownership, and permission management. The issue: Many athletes do not have enough available personal iCloud storage. When their iCloud storage is full, our app cannot save/sync/share new records in their privateCloudDatabase. This breaks the coach-athlete sharing flow, even if the coach is paying for a subscription in our app. Question: Is there any Apple-supported way for an app developer, or a coach/team organization using our app, to sponsor, allocate, or purchase additional iCloud storage specifically for a user’s app-specific CloudKit private database data? What we would like to preserve: Records stay in the athlete’s privateCloudDatabase. The athlete remains the owner of the data. CKShare continues to manage sharing permissions and consent. The app or coach organization covers the storage cost, instead of requiring every athlete to upgrade their personal iCloud+ plan. I understand that: privateCloudDatabase data counts against the user’s personal iCloud storage quota. publicCloudDatabase data counts against the app/container quota. CloudKit Database app can be used to manage the app’s CloudKit containers. However, moving this data to publicCloudDatabase would require us to rebuild part of the permission and sharing model ourselves, and it would not be equivalent to user-owned private records shared via CKShare. So I would like to confirm: Is there any way to sponsor or allocate app-specific privateCloudDatabase storage for selected users? Is there any Apple Business, Managed Apple Account, enterprise, or developer program option that supports this for sports teams or organizations? If this is not supported, are the only Apple-native alternatives: asking users to upgrade iCloud+, moving shared/team data to publicCloudDatabase, or using a third-party/app-managed backend? Use case: Our app is used in strength training. A coach may manage many athletes. The coach is willing to pay for the subscription and storage, but athletes often do not want to pay for additional iCloud storage individually. Thanks.
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1w
Correct SwiftData Concurrency Logic for UI and Extensions
Hi everyone, I'm looking for the correct architectural guidance for my SwiftData implementation. In my Swift project, I have dedicated async functions for adding, editing, and deleting each of my four models. I created these functions specifically to run certain logic whenever these operations occur. Since these functions are asynchronous, I call them from the UI (e.g., from a button press) by wrapping them in a Task. I've gone through three different approaches and am now stuck. Approach 1: @MainActor Functions Initially, my functions were marked with @MainActor and worked on the main ModelContext. This worked perfectly until I added support for App Intents and Widgets, which caused the app to crash with data race errors. Approach 2: Passing ModelContext as a Parameter To solve the crashes, I decided to have each function receive a ModelContext as a parameter. My SwiftUI views passed the main context (which they get from @Environment(\.modelContext)), while the App Intents and Widgets created and passed in their own private context. However, this approach still caused the app to crash sometimes due to data race errors, especially during actions triggered from the main UI. Approach 3: Creating a New Context in Each Function I moved to a third approach where each function creates its own ModelContext to work on. This has successfully stopped all crashes. However, now the UI actions don't always react or update. For example, when an object is added, deleted, or edited, the change isn't reflected in the UI. I suspect this is because the main context (driving the UI) hasn't been updated yet, or because the async function hasn't finished its work. My Question I'm not sure what to do or what the correct logic should be. How should I structure my data operations to support the main UI, Widgets, and App Intents without causing crashes or UI update failures? Here is the relevant code using my third (and current) approach. I've shortened the helper functions for brevity. // MARK: - SwiftData Operations extension DatabaseManager { /// Creates a new assignment and saves it to the database. public func createAssignment( name: String, deadline: Date, notes: AttributedString, forCourseID courseID: UUID, /*...other params...*/ ) async throws -> AssignmentModel { do { let context = ModelContext(container) guard let course = findCourse(byID: courseID, in: context) else { throw DatabaseManagerError.itemNotFound } let newAssignment = AssignmentModel( name: name, deadline: deadline, notes: notes, course: course, /*...other properties...*/ ) context.insert(newAssignment) try context.save() // Schedule notifications and add to calendar _ = try? await scheduleReminder(for: newAssignment) newAssignment.calendarEventIDs = await CalendarManager.shared.addEventToCalendar(for: newAssignment) try context.save() await MainActor.run { WidgetCenter.shared.reloadTimelines(ofKind: "AppWidget") } return newAssignment } catch { throw DatabaseManagerError.saveFailed } } /// Finds a specific course by its ID in a given context. public func findCourse(byID id: UUID, in context: ModelContext) -> CourseModel? { let predicate = #Predicate<CourseModel> { $0.id == id } let fetchDescriptor = FetchDescriptor<CourseModel>(predicate: predicate) return try? context.fetch(fetchDescriptor).first } } // MARK: - Helper Functions (Implementations omitted for brevity) /// Schedules a local user notification for an event. func scheduleReminder(for assignment: AssignmentModel) async throws -> String { // ... Full implementation to create and schedule a UNNotificationRequest return UUID().uuidString } /// Creates a new event in the user's selected calendars. extension CalendarManager { func addEventToCalendar(for assignment: AssignmentModel) async -> [String] { // ... Full implementation to create and save an EKEvent return [UUID().uuidString] } } Thank you for your help.
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369
Nov ’25
CoreData + CloudKit -- Many-to-Many Relationship not Syncing
In an iOS App that uses CKShare I have a many-to-many relationship that does not consistently sync between the share's N participants. The relationship is between Group and Player as group.players and player.groups. As an example, given 3 group each with 4 players (aka 4:4:4), some devices show CoreData (it is NOT a UI issue) with 4:2:3 or 3:4:4. (A deletion of CoreData from a device, forcing a full re-sync from CloudKit, seems to populate the group:player relationships consistently; but obviously that is impractical to resolving the issue). How do I avoid these sync-from-CloudKit inconsistencies? Note: AI agents generally suggest adding a CoreData 'join' entity - such as 'GroupPlayer'. Is that THE fix?
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192
Mar ’26
Strange behavior with 100k+ records in NSPersistentCloudKitContainer
I have been using the basic NSPersistentContainer with 100k+ records for a while now with no issues. The database size can fluctuate a bit but on average it takes up about 22mb on device. When I switch the container to NSPersistentCloudKitContainer, I see a massive increase in size to ~150mb initially. As the sync engine uploads records to iCloud it has ballooned to over 600mb on device. On top of that, the user's iCloud usage in settings reports that it takes up 1.7gb in the cloud. I understand new tables are added and history tracking is enabled but the size increase seems a bit drastic. I'm not sure how we got from 22mb to 1.7gb with the exact same data. A few other things that are important to note: I import all the 100k+ records at once when testing the different containers. At the time of the initial import there is only 1 relation (an import group record) that all the records are attached to. I save the background context only once after all the records and the import group have been made and added to the context. After the initial import, some of these records may have a few new relations added to them over time. I suppose this could be causing some of the size increase, but its only about 20,000 records that are updated. None of the records include files/ large binary data. Most of the attributes are encrypted. I'm syncing to the dev iCloud environment. When I do make a change to a single attribute in a record, CloudKit reports that every attribute has been modified (not sure if this is normal or not ) Also, When syncing to a new device, the sync can take hours - days. I'm guessing it's having to sync both the new records and the changes, but it exponentially gets slower as more records are downloaded. The console will show syncing activity, but new records are being added at a slower rate as more records are added. After about 50k records, it grinds to a halt and while the console still shows sync activity, only about 100 records are added every hour. All this to say i'm very confused where these issues are coming from. I'm sure its a combination of how i've setup my code and the vast record count, record history, etc. If anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated.
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931
Nov ’25
SwiftData crash on adding sort argument to Query
Experiencing a crash that is only reproducible on TestFlight or AppStore version of the app, note this does not happen when running from Xcode. I've isolated the problem to sort argument being added to @Query that fetches a model that sorts based on inherited property. To reproduce: @Model class SuperModel { var createdAt: Date = .now } @available(macOS 26.0, *) @Model class SubModel: SuperModel { } @Query(sort: \SubModel.createdAt, animation: .default) private var models: [SubModel]
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195
Jan ’26
Core Data: lightweight migration
Hi everyone, I’m working on an offline-first iOS app using Core Data. I have a question about safe future updates: in my project, I want to be able to add new optional fields to existing Entities or even completely new Entities in future versions — but nothing else (no renaming, deleting, or type changes). Here’s how my current PersistenceController looks: import CoreData struct PersistenceController { static let shared = PersistenceController() let container: NSPersistentContainer init(inMemory: Bool = false) { container = NSPersistentContainer(name: "MyApp") if inMemory { container.persistentStoreDescriptions.first!.url = URL(fileURLWithPath: "/dev/null") } container.loadPersistentStores(completionHandler: { (storeDescription, error) in if let error = error as NSError? { print("Core Data failed to load store: \(error), \(error.userInfo)") } }) container.viewContext.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true } } Do I need to explicitly set these properties to ensure lightweight migration works? shouldMigrateStoreAutomatically = true shouldInferMappingModelAutomatically = true Or, according to the documentation, are they already true by default, so I can safely add optional fields and new Entities in future versions without breaking users’ existing data? Thanks in advance for your guidance!
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285
Jan ’26
Does 'perform(schedule: .immediate)' guarantee serial execution?
If I have two consecutive calls like to perform(schedule: .immediate) like so: func doSomething() async { await self.perform(schedule: .immediate) { // add log event 1 to data store } await self.perform(schedule: .immediate) { // add log event 2 to data store } } Can I be guaranteed that the block for log event 1 will happen after log event 2? "log event" here is just an example, so please ignore things like storing date, etc. Looking at the documentation here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/coredata/nsmanagedobjectcontext/perform(schedule:_:) It's a little unclear whether any such guarantee is in place. However, given that the function returns the value from the block, it seems like I should be able to expect event 1 will always be executed before event 2 regardless of the schedule parameter?
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301
Feb ’26
Fatal error on rollback after delete
I encountered an error when trying to rollback context after deleting some model with multiple one-to-many relationships when encountered a problem later in a deleting method and before saving the changes. Something like this: do { // Fetch model modelContext.delete(model) // Do some async work that potentially throws try modelContext.save() } catch { modelContext.rollback() } When relationship is empty - the parent has no children - I can safely delete and rollback with no issues. However, when there is even one child when I call even this code: modelContext.delete(someModel) modelContext.rollback() I'm getting a fatal error: SwiftData/ModelSnapshot.swift:46: Fatal error: Unexpected backing data for snapshot creation: SwiftData._FullFutureBackingData<ChildModel> I use ModelContext from within the ModelActor but using mainContext changes nothing. My ModelContainer is quite simple and problem occurs on both in-memory and persistent storage, with or without CloudKit database being enabled. I can isolate the issue in test environment, so the model that's being deleted (or any other) is not being accessed by any other part of the application. However, problem looks the same in the real app. I also changed the target version of iOS from 18.0 to 26.0, but to no avail. My models look kind of like this: @Model final class ParentModel { var name: String @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \ChildModel.parent) var children: [ChildModel]? init(name: String) { self.name = name } } @Model final class ChildModel { var name: String @Relationship(deleteRule: .nullify) var parent: ParentModel? init(name: String) { self.name = name } } I tried many approaches that didn't help: Fetching all children (via fetch) just to "populate" the context Accessing all children on parent model (via let _ = parentModel.children?.count) Deleting all children reading models from parent: for child in parentModel.children ?? [] { modelContext.delete(child) } Deleting all children like this: let parentPersistentModelID = parentModel.persistentModelID modelContext.delete(model: ChildModel.self, where: #Predicate { $0.parent.persistentModelID == parentPersistentModelID }, includeSubclasses: true) Removing @Relationship(deleteRule: .nullify) from ChildModel relationship definition I found 2 solution for the problem: To manually fetch and delete all children prior to deleting parent: let parentPersistentModelID = parentModel.persistentModelID for child in try modelContext.fetch(FetchDescriptor<ChildModel>(predicate: #Predicate { $0.parent.persistentModelID == parentPersistentModelID })) { modelContext.delete(child) } modelContext.delete(parentModel) Trying to run my code in child context (let childContext = ModelContext(modelContext.container)) All that sounds to me like a problem deep inside Swift Data itself. The first solution I found, fetching potentially hundreds of child models just to delete them in case I might need to rollback changes on some error, sounds like awful waste of resources to me. The second one however seems to work fine has that drawback that I can't fully test my code. Right now I can wrap the context (literally creating class that holds ModelContext and calls its methods) and in tests for throwing methods force them to throw. By creating scratch ModelContext I loose that possibility. What might be the real issue here? Am I missing something?
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396
Mar ’26
CloudKit CKRecordZone Deletion Issue
CloudKit CKRecordZone Deletion Issue Problem: CloudKit record zones deleted via CKDatabase.modifyRecordZones(deleting:) or CKModifyRecordZonesOperation are successfully removed but then reappear. I suspect they are automatically reinstated by CloudKit sync, despite successful deletion confirmation. Environment: SwiftData with CloudKit integration Custom CloudKit zones created for legacy zone-based sharing Observed Behavior: Create custom zone (e.g., "TestZone1") via CKDatabase.modifyRecordZones(saving:) Copy records to zone for sharing purposes Delete zone using any CloudKit deletion API - returns success, no errors Immediate verification: Zone is gone from database.allRecordZones() After SwiftData/CloudKit sync or app restart: Zone reappears Reproduction: Tested with three different deletion methods - all exhibit same behaviour: modifyRecordZones(deleting:) async API CKModifyRecordZonesOperation (fire-and-forget) CKModifyRecordZonesOperation with result callbacks Zone deletion succeeds, change tokens (used to track updates to shared records) cleaned up But zones are restored presumably by CloudKit background sync Expected: Deleted zones should remain deleted Actual: Zones are reinstated, creating orphaned zones
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315
May ’26
Issue with SwiftData inheritance
Every time I insert a subclass (MYShapeLayer) into the model context, the app crashes with an error: DesignerPlayground crashed due to fatalError in BackingData.swift at line 908. Never access a full future backing data - PersistentIdentifier(id: SwiftData.PersistentIdentifier.ID(backing: SwiftData.PersistentIdentifier.PersistentIdentifierBacking.managedObjectID(0xb2dbc55f3f4c57f2 <x-coredata://B1E3206B-40DE-4185-BC65-4540B4705B40/MYShapeLayer/p1>))) with Optional(A6CA4F89-107F-4A66-BC49-DD7DAC689F77) struct ContentView: View { @Environment(\.modelContext) private var modelContext @Query private var designs: [MYDesign] var layers: [MYLayer] { designs.first?.layers ?? [] } var body: some View { NavigationStack { List { ForEach(layers) { layer in Text(layer.description) } } .onAppear { let design = MYDesign(title: "My Design") modelContext.insert(design) try? modelContext.save() } .toolbar { Menu("Add", systemImage: "plus") { Button(action: addTextLayer) { Text("Add Text Layer") } Button(action: addShapeLayer) { Text("Add Shape Layer") } } } } } private func addTextLayer() { if let design = designs.first { let newLayer = MYLayer(order: layers.count, kind: .text) newLayer.design = design modelContext.insert(newLayer) try? modelContext.save() } } private func addShapeLayer() { if let design = designs.first { let newLayer = MYShapeLayer(shapeName: "Ellipse", order: layers.count) newLayer.design = design modelContext.insert(newLayer) try? modelContext.save() } } } #Preview { ContentView() .modelContainer(for: [MYDesign.self, MYLayer.self, MYShapeLayer.self], inMemory: true) } @Model final class MYDesign { var title: String = "" @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \MYLayer.design) var layers: [MYLayer] = [] init(title: String = "") { self.title = title } } @available(iOS 26.0, macOS 26.0, *) @Model class MYLayer { var design: MYDesign! var order: Int = 0 var title: String = "" init(order: Int = 0, title: String = "New Layer") { self.order = order self.title = title } } @available(iOS 26.0, macOS 26.0, *) @Model class MYShapeLayer: MYLayer { var shapeName: String = "" init(shapeName: String, order: Int = 0) { self.shapeName = shapeName super.init(order: order) } }
1
0
171
Sep ’25
SwiftData 100% crash when fetching history with codable (test included!)
SwiftData crashes 100% when fetching history of a model that contains an optional codable property that's updated: SwiftData/Schema.swift:389: Fatal error: Failed to materialize a keypath for someCodableID.someID from CrashModel. It is possible that this path traverses a type that does not work with append(), please file a bug report with a test. Would really appreciate some help or even a workaround. Code: import Foundation import SwiftData import Testing struct VaultsSwiftDataKnownIssuesTests { @Test func testCodableCrashInHistoryFetch() async throws { let container = try ModelContainer( for: CrashModel.self, configurations: .init( isStoredInMemoryOnly: true ) ) let context = ModelContext(container) try SimpleHistoryChecker.hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: context) // 1: insert a new value and save let model = CrashModel() model.someCodableID = SomeCodableID(someID: "testid1") context.insert(model) try context.save() // 2: check history it's fine. try SimpleHistoryChecker.hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: context) // 3: update the inserted value before then save model.someCodableID = SomeCodableID(someID: "testid2") try context.save() // The next check will always crash on fetchHistory with this error: /* SwiftData/Schema.swift:389: Fatal error: Failed to materialize a keypath for someCodableID.someID from CrashModel. It is possible that this path traverses a type that does not work with append(), please file a bug report with a test. */ try SimpleHistoryChecker.hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: context) } } @Model final class CrashModel { // optional codable crashes. var someCodableID: SomeCodableID? // these actually work: //var someCodableID: SomeCodableID //var someCodableID: [SomeCodableID] init() {} } public struct SomeCodableID: Codable { public let someID: String } final class SimpleHistoryChecker { static func hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: ModelContext) throws { let descriptor = HistoryDescriptor<DefaultHistoryTransaction>() let history = try context.fetchHistory(descriptor) guard let last = history.last else { return } print(last) } }
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279
2w
joblinkapp's registerview mistake
I am working on a SwiftUI project using Core Data. I have an entity called AppleUser in my data model, with the following attributes: id (UUID), name (String), email (String), password (String), and createdAt (Date). All attributes are non-optional. I created the corresponding Core Data class files (AppleUser+CoreDataClass.swift and AppleUser+CoreDataProperties.swift) using Xcode’s automatic generation. I also have a PersistenceController that initializes the NSPersistentContainer with the model name JobLinkModel. When I try to save a new AppleUser object using: let user = AppleUser(context: viewContext) user.id = UUID() user.name = "User1" user.email = "..." user.password = "password1" user.createdAt = Date()【The email is correctly formatted, but it has been replaced with “…” for privacy reasons】 try? viewContext.save() I get the following error in the console:Core Data save failed: Foundation._GenericObjCError.nilError, [:] User snapshot: ["id": ..., "name": "User1", "email": "...", "password": "...", "createdAt": ...] All fields have valid values, and the Core Data model seems correct. I have also tried: • Checking that the model name in NSPersistentContainer(name:) matches the .xcdatamodeld file (JobLinkModel) • Ensuring the AppleUser entity Class, Module, and Codegen are correctly set (Class Definition, Current Product Module) • Deleting duplicate or old AppleUser class files • Cleaning Xcode build folder and deleting the app from the simulator • Using @Environment(.managedObjectContext) for the context Despite all this, I still get _GenericObjCError.nilError when saving a new AppleUser object. I want to understand: 1. Why is Core Data failing to save even though all fields are non-nil and correctly assigned? 2. Could this be caused by some residual old class files, or is there something else in the setup that I am missing? 3. What steps should I take to ensure that Core Data properly recognizes the AppleUser entity and allows saving? Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
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0
241
Sep ’25
Production Mac app becomes progressively unusable in Issues workspace; Mac_Dev remains fast
The production macOS build is showing severe performance problems, while Mac_Dev performs normally. Observed behavior in production Mac build: Issue board scrolling becomes inconsistent or nearly unusable Changing an issue status in detail view is very slow Scrolling the status menu/options can be slow Typing in issue description/notes fields becomes sluggish Dragging issues between milestones/statuses on the board can lag badly Observed behavior in Mac_Dev: Board scrolling is smooth Status changes are immediate Typing in description fields is responsive Drag/drop between milestones works well Important comparison: Mac_Dev appears to run against an isolated local SwiftData store Production Mac app uses the normal CloudKit-backed store Because the same UI is fast in Mac_Dev, this does not look like a pure rendering problem Most likely cause is production store / CloudKit sync churn amplifying existing SwiftUI invalidation and save behavior Current hypothesis: The production app is saving or observing live Issue mutations too aggressively Detail view edits and some quick actions may be causing repeated saves / broad view invalidation Cloud-backed persistence likely makes the problem much worse than the isolated dev store The UI architecture may still need cleanup, but the production data lane is likely a major factor Any help in understanding how best to address this would be helpful.
2
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452
Apr ’26
Best Practices for Binary Data (“Allows External Storage”) in Core Data with CloudKit Sync
Hello Apple Team, We’re building a CloudKit-enabled Core Data app and would like clarification on the behavior and performance characteristics of Binary Data attributes with “Allows External Storage” enabled when used with NSPersistentCloudKitContainer. Initially, we tried storing image files manually on disk and only saving the metadata (file URLs, dimensions, etc.) in Core Data. While this approach reduced the size of the Core Data store, it introduced instability after app updates and broke sync between devices. We would prefer to use the official Apple-recommended method and have Core Data manage image storage and CloudKit syncing natively. Specifically, we’d appreciate guidance on the following: When a Binary Data attribute is marked as “Allows External Storage”, large image files are stored as separate files on device rather than inline in the SQLite store. How effective is this mechanism in keeping the Core Data store size small on device? Are there any recommended size thresholds or known limits for how many externally stored blobs can safely be managed this way? How are these externally stored files handled during CloudKit sync? Does each externally stored Binary Data attribute get mirrored to CloudKit as a CKAsset? Does external storage reduce the sync payload size or network usage, or is the full binary data still uploaded/downloaded as part of the CKAsset? Are there any bandwidth implications for users syncing via their private CloudKit database, versus developer costs in the public CloudKit database? Is there any difference in CloudKit or Core Data behavior when a Binary Data attribute is managed this way versus manually storing image URLs and handling the file separately on disk? Our goal is to store user-generated images efficiently and safely sync them via CloudKit, without incurring excessive local database bloat or CloudKit network overhead. Any detailed guidance or internal performance considerations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Paul Barry Founder & Lead Developer — Boat Buddy / Vessel Buddy iOS App Archipelago Environmental Solutions Inc.
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2
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352
Activity
Oct ’25
iCloud LiveSharing link to colaborate
Hi there!, I have been developing an app where you can create a collection and I want to add a new feature where you can share an iCloud link from that collection and collaborate with your family or friends who you share the link to complete that collection. Like Apple does with the notes app or some other apps. The problem I have encountered is programming in swift does not allow you to do that and I need to do it I Core Data... Do you think with all the new stuff announced during the WWDC26 It could be done in Swift or I have to change coding?? Thanks community for any help
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54
Activity
2d
SwiftData: Crash when deleting from model, but only in prod
I'm testing my app before releasing to testers, and my app (both macOS and iOS) is crashing when I perform one operation, but only in the production build. I have data that loads from a remote source, and can be periodically updated. There is an option to delete all of that data from the iCloud data store, unless the user has modified a record. Each table has a flag to indicate that (userEdited). Here's the function that is crashing: func deleteCommonData<T:PersistentModel & SDBuddyModel>(_ type: T.Type) throws { try modelContext.delete(model: T.self, where: #Predicate<T> { !$0.userEdited }) } Here's one of the calls that results in a crash: try modelManager.deleteCommonData(Link.self) Here's the error from iOS Console: SwiftData/DataUtilities.swift:85: Fatal error: Couldn't find \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b9d208 (Bool)> on Link with fields [SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "id", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09b44 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional("54EC6602-CA7C-4EC7-AC06-16E7F2E22DE7"), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "name", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09b84 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional(""), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "url", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09bc4 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional(""), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "desc", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09c04 (String)>, defaultValue: Optional(""), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "userEdited", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09664 (Bool)>, defaultValue: Optional(false), metadata: nil), SwiftData.Schema.PropertyMetadata(name: "modified", keypath: \Link.<computed 0x0000000104b09c44 (Date)>, defaultVal<…> Here's a fragment of the crash log: Exception Type: EXC_BREAKPOINT (SIGTRAP) Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000001, 0x000000019373222c Termination Reason: Namespace SIGNAL, Code 5, Trace/BPT trap: 5 Terminating Process: exc handler [80543] Thread 0 Crashed: 0 libswiftCore.dylib 0x19373222c _assertionFailure(_:_:file:line:flags:) + 176 1 SwiftData 0x22a222160 0x22a1ad000 + 479584 2 SwiftData 0x22a2709c0 0x22a1ad000 + 801216 3 SwiftData 0x22a221b08 0x22a1ad000 + 477960 4 SwiftData 0x22a27b0ec 0x22a1ad000 + 844012 5 SwiftData 0x22a27b084 0x22a1ad000 + 843908 6 SwiftData 0x22a28182c 0x22a1ad000 + 870444 7 SwiftData 0x22a2809e8 0x22a1ad000 + 866792 8 SwiftData 0x22a285204 0x22a1ad000 + 885252 9 SwiftData 0x22a281c7c 0x22a1ad000 + 871548 10 SwiftData 0x22a27cf6c 0x22a1ad000 + 851820 11 SwiftData 0x22a27cc48 0x22a1ad000 + 851016 12 SwiftData 0x22a27a6b0 0x22a1ad000 + 841392 13 SwiftData 0x22a285b2c 0x22a1ad000 + 887596 14 SwiftData 0x22a285a10 0x22a1ad000 + 887312 15 SwiftData 0x22a285bcc 0x22a1ad000 + 887756 16 SwiftData 0x22a27cf6c 0x22a1ad000 + 851820 17 SwiftData 0x22a27cc48 0x22a1ad000 + 851016 18 SwiftData 0x22a27a6b0 0x22a1ad000 + 841392 19 SwiftData 0x22a27c0d8 0x22a1ad000 + 848088 20 SwiftData 0x22a27a654 0x22a1ad000 + 841300 21 SwiftData 0x22a1be548 0x22a1ad000 + 70984 22 SwiftData 0x22a1cfd64 0x22a1ad000 + 142692 23 SwiftData 0x22a1b9618 0x22a1ad000 + 50712 24 SwiftData 0x22a1d2e8c 0x22a1ad000 + 155276 25 CoreData 0x187fbb568 thunk for @callee_guaranteed () -> (@out A, @error @owned Error) + 28 26 CoreData 0x187fc2300 partial apply for thunk for @callee_guaranteed () -> (@out A, @error @owned Error) + 24 27 CoreData 0x187fc19c4 closure #1 in closure #1 in NSManagedObjectContext._rethrowsHelper_performAndWait<A>(fn:execute:rescue:) + 192 28 CoreData 0x187fbbda8 thunk for @callee_guaranteed @Sendable () -> () + 28 29 CoreData 0x187fbbdd0 thunk for @escaping @callee_guaranteed @Sendable () -> () + 28 30 CoreData 0x187f663fc developerSubmittedBlockToNSManagedObjectContextPerform + 252 31 libdispatch.dylib 0x180336ac4 _dispatch_client_callout + 16 32 libdispatch.dylib 0x18032c940 _dispatch_lane_barrier_sync_invoke_and_complete + 56 33 CoreData 0x187fd7290 -[NSManagedObjectContext performBlockAndWait:] + 364 34 CoreData 0x187fc1fb8 NSManagedObjectContext.performAndWait<A>(_:) + 544 35 SwiftData 0x22a1b877c 0x22a1ad000 + 46972 36 SwiftData 0x22a1be2a8 0x22a1ad000 + 70312 37 SwiftData 0x22a1c0e34 0x22a1ad000 + 81460 38 SwiftData 0x22a23ea94 0x22a1ad000 + 596628 39 SwiftData 0x22a256828 0x22a1ad000 + 694312 40 Sourdough Buddy 0x104e5dc98 specialized ModelManager.deleteCommonData<A>(_:) + 144 (ModelManager.swift:128) [inlined] 41 Sourdough Buddy 0x104e5dc98 closure #1 in SettingsView.clearStarterData.getter + 876 (SettingsView.swift:243) It works if I do the following instead: try modelContext.delete(model: Link.self, where: #Predicate { !$0.userEdited }) Why would the func call work in development, but crash in production? And why does doing the more verbose way work instead? I think this is a bug. Thanks
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3
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154
Activity
Oct ’25
CKSyncEngine: Duplicate FetchedRecordZoneChanges & Sync Handling Questions
Hi everyone, I've recently implemented CKSyncEngine in my app, and I have two questions regarding its behavior: Duplicate FetchedRecordZoneChanges After Sending Changes: I’ve noticed that the engine sometimes receives a FetchedRecordZoneChanges event containing modifications and deletions that were just sent by the same device a few moments earlier. This event arrives after the SentRecordZoneChanges event, and both events share the same recordChangeTag, which results in double-handling the record. Is this expected behavior? I’d like to confirm if this is how CKSyncEngine works or if I might be overlooking something. Handling Initial Sync with a "Sync Screen": When a user opens the app for the first time and already has data stored in iCloud, I need to display a "Sync Screen" temporarily to prevent showing partial data or triggering abrupt, rapid UI changes. I’ve found that canceling current operations, then awaiting sendChanges() and fetchChanges() works well to ensure data is fully synced before dismissing the sync screen: displaySyncScreen = true await syncEngine.cancelOperations() try await syncEngine.sendChanges() try await syncEngine.fetchChanges() displaySyncScreen = false However, I’m unsure if canceling operations like this could lead to data loss or other issues. Is this a safe approach, or would you recommend a better strategy for handling this initial sync state?
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2
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1
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1.1k
Activity
Apr ’26
Clarification on Current CloudKit CKAsset File Size Limits
Hi, I’m trying to find an authoritative and up-to-date answer regarding the maximum file size supported by CKAsset uploads in CloudKit. I know Apple documentation has historically referenced a 50 MB limit in some places, but from what I can tell, that limit appears to specifically apply to CloudKit Web Services rather than native CloudKit framework usage through CKAsset. At the same time, I frequently see reports from developers claiming they are successfully uploading significantly larger assets through CloudKit, sometimes well beyond 50 MB. However, I haven’t been able to find clear documentation confirming whether this behavior is officially supported, recommended, or simply tolerated under certain conditions. My use case involves potentially syncing assets larger than 50 MB, and I need to determine whether: CloudKit officially supports larger CKAsset uploads today There is a documented hard limit for native CloudKit CKAsset uploads Uploading larger assets is considered reliable/safe for production apps I should instead design around chunked uploads and reconstruction logic I’m specifically interested in current practical and documented limits for CKAsset in 2026, especially for private database usage on Apple platforms. If anyone from Apple or developers with production experience can clarify this, I’d appreciate it. I also opened a DTS incident regarding this question and was advised to ask on the forums so the answer can benefit other developers. Thanks. (I also opened a DTS incident regarding this question and was advised to ask on the forums so the answer can benefit other developers.)
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2
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317
Activity
2w
Can a developer sponsor app-specific privateCloudDatabase storage for users?
Hi, We are developing an iOS/watchOS app that uses CloudKit private database and CKShare to let athletes share training data with their coaches. Current architecture: Each athlete owns their data in their privateCloudDatabase. The athlete can share selected records with a coach using CKShare. The coach accesses the shared data through the sharedCloudDatabase. This works very well for privacy, ownership, and permission management. The issue: Many athletes do not have enough available personal iCloud storage. When their iCloud storage is full, our app cannot save/sync/share new records in their privateCloudDatabase. This breaks the coach-athlete sharing flow, even if the coach is paying for a subscription in our app. Question: Is there any Apple-supported way for an app developer, or a coach/team organization using our app, to sponsor, allocate, or purchase additional iCloud storage specifically for a user’s app-specific CloudKit private database data? What we would like to preserve: Records stay in the athlete’s privateCloudDatabase. The athlete remains the owner of the data. CKShare continues to manage sharing permissions and consent. The app or coach organization covers the storage cost, instead of requiring every athlete to upgrade their personal iCloud+ plan. I understand that: privateCloudDatabase data counts against the user’s personal iCloud storage quota. publicCloudDatabase data counts against the app/container quota. CloudKit Database app can be used to manage the app’s CloudKit containers. However, moving this data to publicCloudDatabase would require us to rebuild part of the permission and sharing model ourselves, and it would not be equivalent to user-owned private records shared via CKShare. So I would like to confirm: Is there any way to sponsor or allocate app-specific privateCloudDatabase storage for selected users? Is there any Apple Business, Managed Apple Account, enterprise, or developer program option that supports this for sports teams or organizations? If this is not supported, are the only Apple-native alternatives: asking users to upgrade iCloud+, moving shared/team data to publicCloudDatabase, or using a third-party/app-managed backend? Use case: Our app is used in strength training. A coach may manage many athletes. The coach is willing to pay for the subscription and storage, but athletes often do not want to pay for additional iCloud storage individually. Thanks.
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2
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213
Activity
1w
Correct SwiftData Concurrency Logic for UI and Extensions
Hi everyone, I'm looking for the correct architectural guidance for my SwiftData implementation. In my Swift project, I have dedicated async functions for adding, editing, and deleting each of my four models. I created these functions specifically to run certain logic whenever these operations occur. Since these functions are asynchronous, I call them from the UI (e.g., from a button press) by wrapping them in a Task. I've gone through three different approaches and am now stuck. Approach 1: @MainActor Functions Initially, my functions were marked with @MainActor and worked on the main ModelContext. This worked perfectly until I added support for App Intents and Widgets, which caused the app to crash with data race errors. Approach 2: Passing ModelContext as a Parameter To solve the crashes, I decided to have each function receive a ModelContext as a parameter. My SwiftUI views passed the main context (which they get from @Environment(\.modelContext)), while the App Intents and Widgets created and passed in their own private context. However, this approach still caused the app to crash sometimes due to data race errors, especially during actions triggered from the main UI. Approach 3: Creating a New Context in Each Function I moved to a third approach where each function creates its own ModelContext to work on. This has successfully stopped all crashes. However, now the UI actions don't always react or update. For example, when an object is added, deleted, or edited, the change isn't reflected in the UI. I suspect this is because the main context (driving the UI) hasn't been updated yet, or because the async function hasn't finished its work. My Question I'm not sure what to do or what the correct logic should be. How should I structure my data operations to support the main UI, Widgets, and App Intents without causing crashes or UI update failures? Here is the relevant code using my third (and current) approach. I've shortened the helper functions for brevity. // MARK: - SwiftData Operations extension DatabaseManager { /// Creates a new assignment and saves it to the database. public func createAssignment( name: String, deadline: Date, notes: AttributedString, forCourseID courseID: UUID, /*...other params...*/ ) async throws -> AssignmentModel { do { let context = ModelContext(container) guard let course = findCourse(byID: courseID, in: context) else { throw DatabaseManagerError.itemNotFound } let newAssignment = AssignmentModel( name: name, deadline: deadline, notes: notes, course: course, /*...other properties...*/ ) context.insert(newAssignment) try context.save() // Schedule notifications and add to calendar _ = try? await scheduleReminder(for: newAssignment) newAssignment.calendarEventIDs = await CalendarManager.shared.addEventToCalendar(for: newAssignment) try context.save() await MainActor.run { WidgetCenter.shared.reloadTimelines(ofKind: "AppWidget") } return newAssignment } catch { throw DatabaseManagerError.saveFailed } } /// Finds a specific course by its ID in a given context. public func findCourse(byID id: UUID, in context: ModelContext) -> CourseModel? { let predicate = #Predicate<CourseModel> { $0.id == id } let fetchDescriptor = FetchDescriptor<CourseModel>(predicate: predicate) return try? context.fetch(fetchDescriptor).first } } // MARK: - Helper Functions (Implementations omitted for brevity) /// Schedules a local user notification for an event. func scheduleReminder(for assignment: AssignmentModel) async throws -> String { // ... Full implementation to create and schedule a UNNotificationRequest return UUID().uuidString } /// Creates a new event in the user's selected calendars. extension CalendarManager { func addEventToCalendar(for assignment: AssignmentModel) async -> [String] { // ... Full implementation to create and save an EKEvent return [UUID().uuidString] } } Thank you for your help.
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5
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369
Activity
Nov ’25
CoreData + CloudKit -- Many-to-Many Relationship not Syncing
In an iOS App that uses CKShare I have a many-to-many relationship that does not consistently sync between the share's N participants. The relationship is between Group and Player as group.players and player.groups. As an example, given 3 group each with 4 players (aka 4:4:4), some devices show CoreData (it is NOT a UI issue) with 4:2:3 or 3:4:4. (A deletion of CoreData from a device, forcing a full re-sync from CloudKit, seems to populate the group:player relationships consistently; but obviously that is impractical to resolving the issue). How do I avoid these sync-from-CloudKit inconsistencies? Note: AI agents generally suggest adding a CoreData 'join' entity - such as 'GroupPlayer'. Is that THE fix?
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1
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192
Activity
Mar ’26
Strange behavior with 100k+ records in NSPersistentCloudKitContainer
I have been using the basic NSPersistentContainer with 100k+ records for a while now with no issues. The database size can fluctuate a bit but on average it takes up about 22mb on device. When I switch the container to NSPersistentCloudKitContainer, I see a massive increase in size to ~150mb initially. As the sync engine uploads records to iCloud it has ballooned to over 600mb on device. On top of that, the user's iCloud usage in settings reports that it takes up 1.7gb in the cloud. I understand new tables are added and history tracking is enabled but the size increase seems a bit drastic. I'm not sure how we got from 22mb to 1.7gb with the exact same data. A few other things that are important to note: I import all the 100k+ records at once when testing the different containers. At the time of the initial import there is only 1 relation (an import group record) that all the records are attached to. I save the background context only once after all the records and the import group have been made and added to the context. After the initial import, some of these records may have a few new relations added to them over time. I suppose this could be causing some of the size increase, but its only about 20,000 records that are updated. None of the records include files/ large binary data. Most of the attributes are encrypted. I'm syncing to the dev iCloud environment. When I do make a change to a single attribute in a record, CloudKit reports that every attribute has been modified (not sure if this is normal or not ) Also, When syncing to a new device, the sync can take hours - days. I'm guessing it's having to sync both the new records and the changes, but it exponentially gets slower as more records are downloaded. The console will show syncing activity, but new records are being added at a slower rate as more records are added. After about 50k records, it grinds to a halt and while the console still shows sync activity, only about 100 records are added every hour. All this to say i'm very confused where these issues are coming from. I'm sure its a combination of how i've setup my code and the vast record count, record history, etc. If anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated.
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3
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931
Activity
Nov ’25
SwiftData crash on adding sort argument to Query
Experiencing a crash that is only reproducible on TestFlight or AppStore version of the app, note this does not happen when running from Xcode. I've isolated the problem to sort argument being added to @Query that fetches a model that sorts based on inherited property. To reproduce: @Model class SuperModel { var createdAt: Date = .now } @available(macOS 26.0, *) @Model class SubModel: SuperModel { } @Query(sort: \SubModel.createdAt, animation: .default) private var models: [SubModel]
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195
Activity
Jan ’26
Core Data: lightweight migration
Hi everyone, I’m working on an offline-first iOS app using Core Data. I have a question about safe future updates: in my project, I want to be able to add new optional fields to existing Entities or even completely new Entities in future versions — but nothing else (no renaming, deleting, or type changes). Here’s how my current PersistenceController looks: import CoreData struct PersistenceController { static let shared = PersistenceController() let container: NSPersistentContainer init(inMemory: Bool = false) { container = NSPersistentContainer(name: "MyApp") if inMemory { container.persistentStoreDescriptions.first!.url = URL(fileURLWithPath: "/dev/null") } container.loadPersistentStores(completionHandler: { (storeDescription, error) in if let error = error as NSError? { print("Core Data failed to load store: \(error), \(error.userInfo)") } }) container.viewContext.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true } } Do I need to explicitly set these properties to ensure lightweight migration works? shouldMigrateStoreAutomatically = true shouldInferMappingModelAutomatically = true Or, according to the documentation, are they already true by default, so I can safely add optional fields and new Entities in future versions without breaking users’ existing data? Thanks in advance for your guidance!
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2
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285
Activity
Jan ’26
Notification when iCloud Drive state changes
Is there any way to get notified in macOS when the iCloud Drive becomes online/offline so that I can update the UI in my app to reflect that state? Thanks!
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1
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76
Activity
2d
Does 'perform(schedule: .immediate)' guarantee serial execution?
If I have two consecutive calls like to perform(schedule: .immediate) like so: func doSomething() async { await self.perform(schedule: .immediate) { // add log event 1 to data store } await self.perform(schedule: .immediate) { // add log event 2 to data store } } Can I be guaranteed that the block for log event 1 will happen after log event 2? "log event" here is just an example, so please ignore things like storing date, etc. Looking at the documentation here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/coredata/nsmanagedobjectcontext/perform(schedule:_:) It's a little unclear whether any such guarantee is in place. However, given that the function returns the value from the block, it seems like I should be able to expect event 1 will always be executed before event 2 regardless of the schedule parameter?
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1
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301
Activity
Feb ’26
Fatal error on rollback after delete
I encountered an error when trying to rollback context after deleting some model with multiple one-to-many relationships when encountered a problem later in a deleting method and before saving the changes. Something like this: do { // Fetch model modelContext.delete(model) // Do some async work that potentially throws try modelContext.save() } catch { modelContext.rollback() } When relationship is empty - the parent has no children - I can safely delete and rollback with no issues. However, when there is even one child when I call even this code: modelContext.delete(someModel) modelContext.rollback() I'm getting a fatal error: SwiftData/ModelSnapshot.swift:46: Fatal error: Unexpected backing data for snapshot creation: SwiftData._FullFutureBackingData<ChildModel> I use ModelContext from within the ModelActor but using mainContext changes nothing. My ModelContainer is quite simple and problem occurs on both in-memory and persistent storage, with or without CloudKit database being enabled. I can isolate the issue in test environment, so the model that's being deleted (or any other) is not being accessed by any other part of the application. However, problem looks the same in the real app. I also changed the target version of iOS from 18.0 to 26.0, but to no avail. My models look kind of like this: @Model final class ParentModel { var name: String @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \ChildModel.parent) var children: [ChildModel]? init(name: String) { self.name = name } } @Model final class ChildModel { var name: String @Relationship(deleteRule: .nullify) var parent: ParentModel? init(name: String) { self.name = name } } I tried many approaches that didn't help: Fetching all children (via fetch) just to "populate" the context Accessing all children on parent model (via let _ = parentModel.children?.count) Deleting all children reading models from parent: for child in parentModel.children ?? [] { modelContext.delete(child) } Deleting all children like this: let parentPersistentModelID = parentModel.persistentModelID modelContext.delete(model: ChildModel.self, where: #Predicate { $0.parent.persistentModelID == parentPersistentModelID }, includeSubclasses: true) Removing @Relationship(deleteRule: .nullify) from ChildModel relationship definition I found 2 solution for the problem: To manually fetch and delete all children prior to deleting parent: let parentPersistentModelID = parentModel.persistentModelID for child in try modelContext.fetch(FetchDescriptor<ChildModel>(predicate: #Predicate { $0.parent.persistentModelID == parentPersistentModelID })) { modelContext.delete(child) } modelContext.delete(parentModel) Trying to run my code in child context (let childContext = ModelContext(modelContext.container)) All that sounds to me like a problem deep inside Swift Data itself. The first solution I found, fetching potentially hundreds of child models just to delete them in case I might need to rollback changes on some error, sounds like awful waste of resources to me. The second one however seems to work fine has that drawback that I can't fully test my code. Right now I can wrap the context (literally creating class that holds ModelContext and calls its methods) and in tests for throwing methods force them to throw. By creating scratch ModelContext I loose that possibility. What might be the real issue here? Am I missing something?
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2
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396
Activity
Mar ’26
CloudKit CKRecordZone Deletion Issue
CloudKit CKRecordZone Deletion Issue Problem: CloudKit record zones deleted via CKDatabase.modifyRecordZones(deleting:) or CKModifyRecordZonesOperation are successfully removed but then reappear. I suspect they are automatically reinstated by CloudKit sync, despite successful deletion confirmation. Environment: SwiftData with CloudKit integration Custom CloudKit zones created for legacy zone-based sharing Observed Behavior: Create custom zone (e.g., "TestZone1") via CKDatabase.modifyRecordZones(saving:) Copy records to zone for sharing purposes Delete zone using any CloudKit deletion API - returns success, no errors Immediate verification: Zone is gone from database.allRecordZones() After SwiftData/CloudKit sync or app restart: Zone reappears Reproduction: Tested with three different deletion methods - all exhibit same behaviour: modifyRecordZones(deleting:) async API CKModifyRecordZonesOperation (fire-and-forget) CKModifyRecordZonesOperation with result callbacks Zone deletion succeeds, change tokens (used to track updates to shared records) cleaned up But zones are restored presumably by CloudKit background sync Expected: Deleted zones should remain deleted Actual: Zones are reinstated, creating orphaned zones
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2
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315
Activity
May ’26
Issue with SwiftData inheritance
Every time I insert a subclass (MYShapeLayer) into the model context, the app crashes with an error: DesignerPlayground crashed due to fatalError in BackingData.swift at line 908. Never access a full future backing data - PersistentIdentifier(id: SwiftData.PersistentIdentifier.ID(backing: SwiftData.PersistentIdentifier.PersistentIdentifierBacking.managedObjectID(0xb2dbc55f3f4c57f2 <x-coredata://B1E3206B-40DE-4185-BC65-4540B4705B40/MYShapeLayer/p1>))) with Optional(A6CA4F89-107F-4A66-BC49-DD7DAC689F77) struct ContentView: View { @Environment(\.modelContext) private var modelContext @Query private var designs: [MYDesign] var layers: [MYLayer] { designs.first?.layers ?? [] } var body: some View { NavigationStack { List { ForEach(layers) { layer in Text(layer.description) } } .onAppear { let design = MYDesign(title: "My Design") modelContext.insert(design) try? modelContext.save() } .toolbar { Menu("Add", systemImage: "plus") { Button(action: addTextLayer) { Text("Add Text Layer") } Button(action: addShapeLayer) { Text("Add Shape Layer") } } } } } private func addTextLayer() { if let design = designs.first { let newLayer = MYLayer(order: layers.count, kind: .text) newLayer.design = design modelContext.insert(newLayer) try? modelContext.save() } } private func addShapeLayer() { if let design = designs.first { let newLayer = MYShapeLayer(shapeName: "Ellipse", order: layers.count) newLayer.design = design modelContext.insert(newLayer) try? modelContext.save() } } } #Preview { ContentView() .modelContainer(for: [MYDesign.self, MYLayer.self, MYShapeLayer.self], inMemory: true) } @Model final class MYDesign { var title: String = "" @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \MYLayer.design) var layers: [MYLayer] = [] init(title: String = "") { self.title = title } } @available(iOS 26.0, macOS 26.0, *) @Model class MYLayer { var design: MYDesign! var order: Int = 0 var title: String = "" init(order: Int = 0, title: String = "New Layer") { self.order = order self.title = title } } @available(iOS 26.0, macOS 26.0, *) @Model class MYShapeLayer: MYLayer { var shapeName: String = "" init(shapeName: String, order: Int = 0) { self.shapeName = shapeName super.init(order: order) } }
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171
Activity
Sep ’25
SwiftData 100% crash when fetching history with codable (test included!)
SwiftData crashes 100% when fetching history of a model that contains an optional codable property that's updated: SwiftData/Schema.swift:389: Fatal error: Failed to materialize a keypath for someCodableID.someID from CrashModel. It is possible that this path traverses a type that does not work with append(), please file a bug report with a test. Would really appreciate some help or even a workaround. Code: import Foundation import SwiftData import Testing struct VaultsSwiftDataKnownIssuesTests { @Test func testCodableCrashInHistoryFetch() async throws { let container = try ModelContainer( for: CrashModel.self, configurations: .init( isStoredInMemoryOnly: true ) ) let context = ModelContext(container) try SimpleHistoryChecker.hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: context) // 1: insert a new value and save let model = CrashModel() model.someCodableID = SomeCodableID(someID: "testid1") context.insert(model) try context.save() // 2: check history it's fine. try SimpleHistoryChecker.hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: context) // 3: update the inserted value before then save model.someCodableID = SomeCodableID(someID: "testid2") try context.save() // The next check will always crash on fetchHistory with this error: /* SwiftData/Schema.swift:389: Fatal error: Failed to materialize a keypath for someCodableID.someID from CrashModel. It is possible that this path traverses a type that does not work with append(), please file a bug report with a test. */ try SimpleHistoryChecker.hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: context) } } @Model final class CrashModel { // optional codable crashes. var someCodableID: SomeCodableID? // these actually work: //var someCodableID: SomeCodableID //var someCodableID: [SomeCodableID] init() {} } public struct SomeCodableID: Codable { public let someID: String } final class SimpleHistoryChecker { static func hasLocalHistoryChanges(context: ModelContext) throws { let descriptor = HistoryDescriptor<DefaultHistoryTransaction>() let history = try context.fetchHistory(descriptor) guard let last = history.last else { return } print(last) } }
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279
Activity
2w
joblinkapp's registerview mistake
I am working on a SwiftUI project using Core Data. I have an entity called AppleUser in my data model, with the following attributes: id (UUID), name (String), email (String), password (String), and createdAt (Date). All attributes are non-optional. I created the corresponding Core Data class files (AppleUser+CoreDataClass.swift and AppleUser+CoreDataProperties.swift) using Xcode’s automatic generation. I also have a PersistenceController that initializes the NSPersistentContainer with the model name JobLinkModel. When I try to save a new AppleUser object using: let user = AppleUser(context: viewContext) user.id = UUID() user.name = "User1" user.email = "..." user.password = "password1" user.createdAt = Date()【The email is correctly formatted, but it has been replaced with “…” for privacy reasons】 try? viewContext.save() I get the following error in the console:Core Data save failed: Foundation._GenericObjCError.nilError, [:] User snapshot: ["id": ..., "name": "User1", "email": "...", "password": "...", "createdAt": ...] All fields have valid values, and the Core Data model seems correct. I have also tried: • Checking that the model name in NSPersistentContainer(name:) matches the .xcdatamodeld file (JobLinkModel) • Ensuring the AppleUser entity Class, Module, and Codegen are correctly set (Class Definition, Current Product Module) • Deleting duplicate or old AppleUser class files • Cleaning Xcode build folder and deleting the app from the simulator • Using @Environment(.managedObjectContext) for the context Despite all this, I still get _GenericObjCError.nilError when saving a new AppleUser object. I want to understand: 1. Why is Core Data failing to save even though all fields are non-nil and correctly assigned? 2. Could this be caused by some residual old class files, or is there something else in the setup that I am missing? 3. What steps should I take to ensure that Core Data properly recognizes the AppleUser entity and allows saving? Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
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3
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241
Activity
Sep ’25
Production Mac app becomes progressively unusable in Issues workspace; Mac_Dev remains fast
The production macOS build is showing severe performance problems, while Mac_Dev performs normally. Observed behavior in production Mac build: Issue board scrolling becomes inconsistent or nearly unusable Changing an issue status in detail view is very slow Scrolling the status menu/options can be slow Typing in issue description/notes fields becomes sluggish Dragging issues between milestones/statuses on the board can lag badly Observed behavior in Mac_Dev: Board scrolling is smooth Status changes are immediate Typing in description fields is responsive Drag/drop between milestones works well Important comparison: Mac_Dev appears to run against an isolated local SwiftData store Production Mac app uses the normal CloudKit-backed store Because the same UI is fast in Mac_Dev, this does not look like a pure rendering problem Most likely cause is production store / CloudKit sync churn amplifying existing SwiftUI invalidation and save behavior Current hypothesis: The production app is saving or observing live Issue mutations too aggressively Detail view edits and some quick actions may be causing repeated saves / broad view invalidation Cloud-backed persistence likely makes the problem much worse than the isolated dev store The UI architecture may still need cleanup, but the production data lane is likely a major factor Any help in understanding how best to address this would be helpful.
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452
Activity
Apr ’26
iOS26.1 crashing all my live SwiftData Apps 😡
Apple WTF? What did you do to all my Apps? none of them work in iOS26.1 (all worked in 26.0). XCode simply says: CoreData: error: addPersistentStoreWithType:configuration:URL:options:error: returned error NSCocoaErrorDomain (134140) * SwiftData is supposed to do all these automatically 🤷🏻
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4
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324
Activity
Nov ’25