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

Adopting live updates in Core Location

At a glance

Item Summary
Purpose Simplify location delivery using asynchronous events in Swift.
App architecture A Swift sample with the source-visible chain LiveUpdatesSampleAppContentViewLocationsHandlerCoreLocation APIs.
Main patterns Delegate or data-source callbacks, Publisher-backed observable state, Actor-isolated state
Project style 3 scanned source file(s) across Swift, organized around ranked entry, type, and file boundaries.

Project structure

Source bundle/
├── liveUpdatesSample/
│   ├── LiveUpdatesSampleApp.swift
│   ├── AppDelegate.swift
│   ├── ContentView.swift
│   └── Info.plist
├── Configuration/
│   └── SampleCode.xcconfig
└── LiveUpdatesSample.xcodeproj/
    ├── .xcodesamplecode.plist
    └── project.pbxproj

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 4 project/configuration file(s) and 5 source declaration(s).

Overall architecture

Reference code

liveUpdatesSample/LiveUpdatesSampleApp.swift:9 — architecture anchor

@main
struct LiveUpdatesSampleApp: App {
    @UIApplicationDelegateAdaptor private var appDelegate: AppDelegate
    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup {
            ContentView()
        }
    }
}

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 Location.

Ownership and state

Ownership evidence

liveUpdatesSample/LiveUpdatesSampleApp.swift:11 — stored dependency or nearest verified ownership anchor

@main
struct LiveUpdatesSampleApp: App {
    @UIApplicationDelegateAdaptor private var appDelegate: AppDelegate
    // ...
}
Owner Object or state Relationship Mutation authority
LiveUpdatesSampleApp AppDelegate (appDelegate) stores or receives Owning lexical scope
AppDelegate Logger (logger) creates and retains Initialized by the owner; the binding is immutable
LocationsHandler Logger (logger) creates and retains Initialized by the owner; the binding is immutable
LocationsHandler LocationsHandler (shared) creates and retains Initialized by the owner; the binding is immutable

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

liveUpdatesSample/LiveUpdatesSampleApp.swift:10 — representative type boundary

struct LiveUpdatesSampleApp: App {
    // ...
}
Type Responsibility Depends on or conforms to
LiveUpdatesSampleApp Application entry and top-level composition App
AppDelegate Receives callback-driven events NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate, ObservableObject
LocationsHandler Handles callbacks or feature events ObservableObject
ContentView User-interface presentation and input forwarding View
ErrorView User-interface presentation and input forwarding View

No local protocol conformance is claimed as protocol-oriented design; external framework conformances are listed only as dependencies.

Access control

Symbol Access Verified effect Likely rationale
backgroundActivitySession (liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:23) 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.
notificationCenter (liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:46) 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.
notificationContent (liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:47) 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.
ContentView (liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:49) 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

liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:23 — representative boundary

    private var backgroundActivitySession: CLBackgroundActivitySession?

    @Published var lastUpdate: CLLocationUpdate? = nil
    @Published var lastLocation = CLLocation()
    @Published var count = 0
    @Published var isStationary = false

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
Application entry and top-level composition LiveUpdatesSampleApp The source’s App suffix makes this role explicit.
Receives callback-driven events AppDelegate The source’s Delegate suffix makes this role explicit.
Handles callbacks or feature events LocationsHandler The source’s Handler suffix makes this role explicit.
User-interface presentation and input forwarding ContentView, ErrorView The source’s View suffix makes this role explicit.

Design patterns

Pattern Source evidence Purpose or tradeoff
Delegate or data-source callbacks liveUpdatesSample/AppDelegate.swift:12 Callback protocols invert event delivery back into the sample’s owner.
Publisher-backed observable state liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:25 Published properties notify observers while mutation remains with the state object.
Actor-isolated state liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift:17 Actor annotations make the concurrency ownership boundary explicit.

Naming conventions

  • Types: App: LiveUpdatesSampleApp; Delegate: AppDelegate; Handler: LocationsHandler; View: ContentView, ErrorView.
  • Protocols: no local protocol declaration in the scanned source.
  • Methods: application, startLocationUpdates, stopLocationUpdates.
  • Files: liveUpdatesSample/LiveUpdatesSampleApp.swift, liveUpdatesSample/AppDelegate.swift, liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift.

Architecture takeaways

  • LiveUpdatesSampleApp is the main source-visible entry or composition anchor for this sample.
  • Framework work reaches SwiftUI, CoreLocation, UIKit 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.
  • The source does not justify labeling the design protocol-oriented.

Source map

Source file Relevant symbols
liveUpdatesSample/LiveUpdatesSampleApp.swift LiveUpdatesSampleApp
liveUpdatesSample/AppDelegate.swift AppDelegate
liveUpdatesSample/ContentView.swift LocationsHandler, ContentView, ErrorView