iOS SDK reference

Overview

This topic documents how to get started with the iOS SDK, and links to reference information on all of the supported features.

Getting started

After you complete the Getting started process, follow these instructions to start using the LaunchDarkly SDK in your application.

Including the SDK as a dependency

The first step is to install the LaunchDarkly SDK as a dependency in your application.

LaunchDarkly supports multiple methods for installing the SDK:

• Using the Swift Package Manager
• Using CocoaPods
• Using Carthage
• Installing the SDK manually

Each method is explained below.

Using the Swift Package Manager

If you use the Swift Package Manager, you can install the SDK through Xcode or include it as a dependency in your Package.swift file.

To add a package dependency to your Xcode project, select File > Swift Packages > Add Package Dependency and enter the iOS SDK repository URL clone URL, then select your desired version constraints.

Including the SDK as a dependency in a Package.swift file looks like this:

//...
    dependencies: [
        .package(url: "https://github.com/launchdarkly/ios-client-sdk.git", .upToNextMinor("8.0.0")),
    ],
    targets: [
        .target(
            name: "YOUR_TARGET",
            dependencies: ["LaunchDarkly"]
        )
    ],
//...
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Using CocoaPods

If you use CocoaPods, you can install the SDK by adding the following to your Podfile. To identify the latest version, read the SDK releases page.

Here is the code to add to your Podfile:

use_frameworks!
target 'YourTargetName' do
  pod 'LaunchDarkly', '~> 8.0'
end
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Using Carthage

If you use Carthage, you can install the SDK by specifying it in your Cartfile. To identify the latest version, read the SDK releases page.

Here is the code to include in your Cartfile:

github "launchdarkly/ios-client" ~> 8.0
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Installing the SDK manually

For instructions on installing the SDK without CocoaPods or Carthage, read the SDK readme.

Using the SDK in your application

This is a brief overview of using the SDK. Read the detailed sections below for more information on configuration and advanced features.

Importing

First import the LaunchDarkly client in your application code:

import LaunchDarkly
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Initializing the SDK

After importing the SDK, configure and initialize it. Specify your mobile key when configuring the SDK so that your application is authorized to connect to a particular environment within LaunchDarkly. Your mobile key is available in the Projects tab of your Account settings page.

Here is how to specify your mobile key:

// If you would like the completion to be called even in cases where
// the SDK is unable to retrieve flags for the context, there is a variant
// to the start method that takes a maximum time to wait for flag values.
// This variant notifies the completion whether the operation timed out.
let config = LDConfig(mobileKey: "mobile-key-123abc")
let context = LDContextBuilder(key: "context-key-123abc")
LDClient.start(config: config, context: context, startWaitSeconds: 5) { timedOut in
    if timedOut {
        // The SDK may not have the most recent flags for the configured context
    } else {
        // The SDK has received flags for the configured context
    }
}
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However, calling blocking code from the main thread in a mobile app is not considered a best practice. The preferred method is loading the client asynchronously.

Here's how:

let config = LDConfig(mobileKey: "mobile-key-123abc")
let context = LDContextBuilder(key: "context-key-123abc")
LDClient.start(config: config, context: context)
// If you need to ensure that the most recent flags have been received
// start supports an optional completion that is triggered when the SDK
// has retrieved flags for the configured context.
LDClient.start(config: config, context: context) {
    // Client has received flags for the context
}
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Retrieving the client instance

After calling start, you can retrieve the LDClient instance with the static method LDClient.get():

let client = LDClient.get()!
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Getting the variation to serve the configured context

You can use client to check which variation a particular context will receive for a given feature flag.

Here's how:

let showFeature = client.boolVariation(forKey: "flag-key", defaultValue: false)
if showFeature {
  // Application code to show the feature
else {
  // The code to run if the feature is off
}
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Background fetch

When the app is backgrounded, the SDK does not receive real-time events.

Unlike other mobile SDKs, the iOS SDK does not support background fetch, so devices on the iOS operating system will not fetch flags from the background. However, devices on MacOS will update flag values opportunistically, according to the iOS SDK standard background polling defaults.

To change the background polling default for flags in your app, add the following code in your LDConfig:

var ldConfig = LDConfig(mobileKey: "mobile-key-123abc")
ldConfig.backgroundFlagPollingInterval = 3600
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Shutting down

Shut down the client when your application terminates. To learn more, read Shutting down.

Data collection

The data collected by the iOS SDK persists until the number of cached contexts exceeds a limit. When you call identify, the number of cached contexts increments. Eventually, the number of cached contexts exceeds maxCachedContexts. When that happens, the SDK deletes context data in excess of maxCachedContext, starting with the oldest context first.

To learn more about data collection within this SDK and implications on submissions to the Apple App Store, read the Apple App Store data collection policy.

Supported features

This SDK supports the following features:

• Anonymous contexts and users
• Configuration
• Evaluating flags
• Flag evaluation reasons
• Flushing events
• Getting all flags
• Identifying and changing contexts
• Monitoring SDK status
• Multiple environments
• Offline mode
• Private attributes
• Relay Proxy configuration, using proxy mode
• Sending custom events
• Service endpoint configuration
• Shutting down
• Subscribing to flag changes
• User and context configuration