Sample CodeiOS, iPadOS, Mac CatalystReviewed 2026-07-21View on Apple Developer

Showcase App Data in Spotlight

At a glance

Item Summary
Purpose Index app data so users can find it by using Spotlight search.
App architecture A Swift sample with the source-visible chain AppDelegateFullImageViewControllerPhotoProviderCoreData APIs.
Main patterns View-controller organization, Protocol-oriented abstraction, Delegate or data-source callbacks
Project style 15 scanned source file(s) across Swift, organized around ranked entry, type, and file boundaries.

Project structure

Source bundle/
└── Tags/
    ├── AppDelegate.swift
    ├── Tag/
    │   ├── TagProvider.swift
    │   └── TagViewController.swift
    ├── CoreDataStack/
    │   ├── TagsSpotlightDelegate.swift
    │   ├── TagsSchema.swift
    │   └── CoreDataStack.swift
    ├── FullImage/
    │   └── FullImageViewController.swift
    ├── Main/
    │   ├── PhotoProvider.swift
    │   ├── PhotosViewController.swift
    │   ├── TagsImageCell.swift
    │   └── DiffableImageSource.swift
    └── SceneDelegate.swift

Structure observations

  • Architecturally prominent files are ranked from entry points and role-named declarations; resource-only paths are omitted.
  • Primary languages: Swift.
  • The verified tree contains 8 project/configuration file(s) and 17 source declaration(s).

Overall architecture

Reference code

Tags/AppDelegate.swift:11 — architecture anchor

@main
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    // ...
}

Interpretation

The arrows summarize the source-visible entry, role-named types or folders, and framework direction; when nodes come from structural folders, the sequence is a high-level interpretation rather than proof that every adjacent node calls the next. Ownership is claimed only where the next section cites a stored property or assignment. The diagram is intentionally limited to the dominant path into Core Data.

Ownership and state

Ownership evidence

Tags/AppDelegate.swift:13 — stored dependency or nearest verified ownership anchor

    lazy var coreDataStack: CoreDataStack = { return CoreDataStack() }()
Owner Object or state Relationship Mutation authority
AppDelegate CoreDataStack (coreDataStack) stores or receives App/module collaborators
TagProvider NSPersistentContainer (persistentContainer) stores or receives Owning type writes; wider scope can read
TagProvider NSFetchedResultsControllerDelegate (fetchedResultsControllerDelegate) holds a non-owning reference The referenced object’s lifecycle is owned elsewhere
TagProvider NSFetchedResultsController (fetchedResultsController) stores or receives App/module collaborators

Composition arrows indicate a source-visible construction expression or locally owned value state; aggregation means the owner stores or receives a dependency without proving exclusive lifetime ownership.

Class and protocol design

Tags/Main/TagsImageCell.swift:10 — representative type boundary

protocol TagsImageCellDelegate: AnyObject {
    func deleteCell(_ cell: UICollectionViewCell)
    func tagCell(_ cell: UICollectionViewCell)
}
Type Responsibility Depends on or conforms to
AppDelegate Receives callback-driven events UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate
TagsImageCellDelegate Defines a capability or collaboration contract AnyObject
TagProvider Supplies a capability or framework resource Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
TagsSpotlightDelegate Receives callback-driven events NSCoreDataCoreSpotlightDelegate
FullImageViewController View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination UIViewController
PhotoProvider Supplies a capability or framework resource Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
PhotosViewController View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination UICollectionViewController
SceneDelegate Receives callback-driven events UIResponder, UIWindowSceneDelegate
TagViewController View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination UITableViewController
TagsSchema Defines a closed set of feature states or choices Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks

The source explicitly defines local protocol relationships: PhotosViewControllerTagsImageCellDelegate.

Access control

Symbol Access Verified effect Likely rationale
spotlightIndexer (Tags/CoreDataStack/CoreDataStack.swift:12) private(set) Read access follows the declaration; writes remain in the private scope. Inference: allow observation while reserving invariant-changing writes for the owner.
persistentContainer (Tags/Main/PhotoProvider.swift:13) private(set) Read access follows the declaration; writes remain in the private scope. Inference: allow observation while reserving invariant-changing writes for the owner.
fetchedResultsControllerDelegate (Tags/Main/PhotoProvider.swift:14) private Use is restricted to the lexical declaration and same-file extensions allowed by Swift. Inference: keep state mutation or dependency lifetime inside the owning implementation.
generateDefaultPhotos (Tags/Main/PhotoProvider.swift:65) private Use is restricted to the lexical declaration and same-file extensions allowed by Swift. Inference: hide an implementation step that is not part of the collaboration surface.

Reference code

Tags/CoreDataStack/CoreDataStack.swift:12 — representative boundary

    private (set) var spotlightIndexer: TagsSpotlightDelegate?
    
    lazy var persistentContainer: NSPersistentContainer = {
        // ...
    }()

Swift declarations without a modifier are internal; explicit private, fileprivate, private(set), public, or open entries above are interpreted by language semantics. Objective-C/C samples instead rely on header and implementation boundaries, which are not equivalent to Swift lexical privacy.

Logic ownership and placement

Logic Owning type or file Placement rationale
View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination FullImageViewController, PhotosViewController, TagViewController The source’s Controller suffix makes this role explicit.
Receives callback-driven events AppDelegate, SceneDelegate, TagsImageCellDelegate, TagsSpotlightDelegate The source’s Delegate suffix makes this role explicit.
Supplies a capability or framework resource PhotoProvider, TagProvider The source’s Provider suffix makes this role explicit.

Design patterns

Pattern Source evidence Purpose or tradeoff
View-controller organization Tags/FullImage/FullImageViewController.swift:10 A controller is the verified coordination boundary; this is MVC-style only where a separate model is present.
Protocol-oriented abstraction Tags/Main/PhotosViewController.swift:216 A local protocol and concrete conformance create an explicit capability boundary.
Delegate or data-source callbacks Tags/AppDelegate.swift:12 Callback protocols invert event delivery back into the sample’s owner.

Naming conventions

  • Types: Controller: FullImageViewController, PhotosViewController, TagViewController; Delegate: AppDelegate, SceneDelegate, TagsImageCellDelegate, TagsSpotlightDelegate; Provider: PhotoProvider, TagProvider.
  • Protocols: TagsImageCellDelegate.
  • Methods: application, numberOfTags, addTag, deleteTag, tagIfExists, domainIdentifier, indexName, attributeSet.
  • Files: Tags/AppDelegate.swift, Tags/Tag/TagProvider.swift, Tags/CoreDataStack/TagsSpotlightDelegate.swift, Tags/FullImage/FullImageViewController.swift, Tags/Main/PhotoProvider.swift, Tags/Main/PhotosViewController.swift.

Architecture takeaways

  • AppDelegate is the main source-visible entry or composition anchor for this sample.
  • Framework work reaches UIKit, CoreData, CoreSpotlight through a deliberately small high-level chain; the detailed API graph remains inside the cited implementation files.
  • Stored-property evidence identifies lifecycle collaboration; it does not by itself prove exclusive object ownership.
  • Access-control conclusions separate verified language visibility from the likely design rationale.
  • Local protocol relationships provide an explicit substitution boundary.

Source map

Source file Relevant symbols
Tags/AppDelegate.swift AppDelegate
Tags/Tag/TagProvider.swift TagProvider, func
Tags/CoreDataStack/TagsSpotlightDelegate.swift TagsSpotlightDelegate
Tags/FullImage/FullImageViewController.swift FullImageViewController
Tags/Main/PhotoProvider.swift PhotoProvider
Tags/Main/PhotosViewController.swift PhotosViewController
Tags/SceneDelegate.swift SceneDelegate
Tags/Tag/TagViewController.swift TagViewController
Tags/CoreDataStack/TagsSchema.swift TagsSchema, Photo, Tag
Tags/Main/TagsImageCell.swift TagsImageCellDelegate, TagsImageCell