Sample CodeDriverKit, iOS, iPadOS, Mac Catalyst, macOSReviewed 2026-07-21View on Apple Developer

Creating a MIDI device driver

At a glance

Item Summary
Purpose Implement a configurable virtual MIDI driver as a driver extension that runs in user space in macOS and iPadOS.
App architecture A C++, C/Objective-C header, Objective-C++, Swift sample with the source-visible chain CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppCreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewCreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModelCreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClientDriverKit / MIDIDriverKit APIs.
Main patterns Model-View-ViewModel, Delegate or data-source callbacks, Publisher-backed observable state
Project style 10 scanned source file(s) across C++, C/Objective-C header, Objective-C++, Swift, organized around ranked entry, type, and file boundaries.

Project structure

Source bundle/
├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp.swift
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.mm
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView.swift
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.h
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverKeys.h
│   └── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp.entitlements
├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppExtension/
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverUserClient.cpp
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDevice.cpp
│   ├── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriver.cpp
│   └── CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverKeys.h
└── Configuration/
    └── SampleCode.xcconfig

Structure observations

  • Architecturally prominent files are ranked from entry points and role-named declarations; resource-only paths are omitted.
  • Primary languages: C++, C/Objective-C header, Objective-C++, Swift.
  • The verified tree contains 7 project/configuration file(s) and 10 source declaration(s).

Overall architecture

Reference code

CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp.swift:10 — architecture anchor

@main
struct CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp: App {
    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup {
            CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView()
        }
    }
}

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 MIDIDriverKit.

Ownership and state

Ownership evidence

CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift:94 — stored dependency or nearest verified ownership anchor

class CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel: NSObject {
    // ...
    @Published private var state: CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppStateMachine.State = .unloaded
    // ...
}
Owner Object or state Relationship Mutation authority
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel State (state) stores or receives Owning lexical scope
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel String (dextIdentifier) owns value state Initialized by the owner; the binding is immutable
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient io_object_t (ioObject) stores or receives Owning Objective-C implementation
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient io_connect_t (ioConnection) stores or receives Owning Objective-C implementation

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

CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp.swift:11 — representative type boundary

struct CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp: App {
    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup {
            CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView()
        }
    }
}
Type Responsibility Depends on or conforms to
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp Application entry and top-level composition App
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel UI-facing state and feature coordination NSObject
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView User-interface presentation and input forwarding View
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient External-system or framework client NSObject
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppStateMachine Owns feature behavior and collaborator lifecycle Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
State Represents mutable feature state Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
Event Defines a closed set of feature states or choices Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverUserClient_IVars Represents a feature value or composable behavior Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDevice_IVars Represents a feature value or composable behavior Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriver_IVars Represents a feature value or composable behavior Concrete collaborators/imported frameworks

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
ioObject (CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.mm:13) implementation Visibility follows header/implementation and language linkage rules. Inference: keep the declaration in the Objective-C implementation boundary.
ioConnection (CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.mm:14) implementation Visibility follows header/implementation and language linkage rules. Inference: keep the declaration in the Objective-C implementation boundary.
state (CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift:94) 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.
dextIdentifier (CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift:96) 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.

Reference code

CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.mm:13 — representative boundary

@interface CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient()
@property io_object_t ioObject;
@property io_connect_t ioConnection;
@end

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 CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp The source’s App suffix makes this role explicit.
External-system or framework client CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient The source’s Client suffix makes this role explicit.
User-interface presentation and input forwarding CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView The source’s View suffix makes this role explicit.
UI-facing state and feature coordination CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel The source’s ViewModel suffix makes this role explicit.

Design patterns

Pattern Source evidence Purpose or tradeoff
Model-View-ViewModel CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift:91 Role-named view models keep UI-facing state or coordination outside view declarations.
Delegate or data-source callbacks CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift:150 Callback protocols invert event delivery back into the sample’s owner.
Publisher-backed observable state CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift:94 Published properties notify observers while mutation remains with the state object.

Naming conventions

  • Types: App: CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp; Client: CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient; View: CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView; ViewModel: CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.
  • Protocols: no local protocol declaration in the scanned source.
  • Methods: onUnloaded, onActivatingOrNeedsApproval, onActivated, onActivationError, process, activateMyDext, activateExtension, deactivateExtension.
  • Files: CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp.swift, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.mm, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView.swift, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.h.

Architecture takeaways

  • CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp is the main source-visible entry or composition anchor for this sample.
  • Framework work reaches DriverKit, MIDIDriverKit, SwiftUI, IOKit 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
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp.swift CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel.swift CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppStateMachine, State, Event, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppViewModel
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.mm CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView.swift CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView, CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppView_Previews
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient.h CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppUserClient
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppExtension/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverUserClient.cpp CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverUserClient_IVars
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppExtension/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDevice.cpp CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDevice_IVars
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppExtension/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriver.cpp CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriver_IVars
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleApp/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverKeys.h Feature implementation
CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppExtension/CreatingMIDIDriverSampleAppDriverKeys.h Feature implementation