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

Browsing and Modifying Photo Albums

At a glance

Item Summary
Purpose Help users organize their photos into albums and browse photo collections in a grid-based layout using PhotoKit.
App architecture A Swift sample with the source-visible chain AppDelegateAssetGridViewControllerUIKit / Photos APIs.
Main patterns View-controller organization, Delegate or data-source callbacks
Project style 5 scanned source file(s) across Swift, organized around ranked entry, type, and file boundaries.

Project structure

Source bundle/
├── Shared/
│   ├── MainViewController.swift
│   ├── AppDelegate.swift
│   ├── AssetGridViewController.swift
│   ├── AssetViewController.swift
│   └── GridViewCell.swift
├── Configuration/
│   └── SampleCode.xcconfig
├── PhotoBrowse.xcodeproj/
│   ├── .xcodesamplecode.plist
│   └── project.pbxproj
├── iOS/
│   ├── Base.lproj/
│   │   ├── LaunchScreen.storyboard
│   │   └── Main.storyboard
│   └── Info.plist
└── tvOS/
    └── Base.lproj/
        └── Main.storyboard

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 8 source declaration(s).

Overall architecture

Reference code

Shared/AppDelegate.swift:11 — architecture anchor

@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDelegate {
    // ...
}

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 PhotoKit.

Ownership and state

Ownership evidence

Shared/MainViewController.swift:32 — stored dependency or nearest verified ownership anchor

class MainViewController: UITableViewController {
    // ...
    var allPhotos: PHFetchResult<PHAsset>!
    // ...
}
Owner Object or state Relationship Mutation authority
MainViewController PHFetchResult (allPhotos) stores or receives App/module collaborators
MainViewController PHFetchResult (smartAlbums) stores or receives App/module collaborators
MainViewController PHFetchResult (userCollections) stores or receives App/module collaborators
MainViewController Sectionlocalizedtitles (sectionLocalizedTitles) stores or receives 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

Shared/AppDelegate.swift:12 — representative type boundary

class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDelegate {
    // ...
}
Type Responsibility Depends on or conforms to
AppDelegate Receives callback-driven events UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDelegate
MainViewController View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination UITableViewController
AssetGridViewController View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination UICollectionViewController
AssetViewController View lifecycle, callbacks, and feature coordination UIViewController
Section Defines a closed set of feature states or choices Int
CellIdentifier Defines a closed set of feature states or choices String
SegueIdentifier Defines a closed set of feature states or choices String
GridViewCell Owns feature behavior and collaborator lifecycle UICollectionViewCell

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
imageManager (Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift:28) fileprivate Use is restricted to this source file. Inference: share with same-file helpers or extensions without exposing the symbol module-wide.
thumbnailSize (Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift:29) fileprivate Use is restricted to this source file. Inference: share with same-file helpers or extensions without exposing the symbol module-wide.
previousPreheatRect (Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift:30) fileprivate Use is restricted to this source file. Inference: share with same-file helpers or extensions without exposing the symbol module-wide.
resetCachedAssets (Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift:132) fileprivate Use is restricted to this source file. Inference: share with same-file helpers or extensions without exposing the symbol module-wide.

Reference code

Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift:28 — representative boundary

class AssetGridViewController: UICollectionViewController {
    // ...
    fileprivate let imageManager = PHCachingImageManager()
    // ...
}

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 AssetGridViewController, AssetViewController, MainViewController The source’s Controller suffix makes this role explicit.
Receives callback-driven events AppDelegate The source’s Delegate suffix makes this role explicit.

Design patterns

Pattern Source evidence Purpose or tradeoff
View-controller organization Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift:19 A controller is the verified coordination boundary; this is MVC-style only where a separate model is present.
Delegate or data-source callbacks Shared/AppDelegate.swift:12 Callback protocols invert event delivery back into the sample’s owner.

Naming conventions

  • Types: Controller: AssetGridViewController, AssetViewController, MainViewController; Delegate: AppDelegate.
  • Protocols: no local protocol declaration in the scanned source.
  • Methods: viewDidLoad, viewWillAppear, addAlbum, prepare, numberOfSections, tableView, photoLibraryDidChange, application.
  • Files: Shared/MainViewController.swift, Shared/AppDelegate.swift, Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift, Shared/AssetViewController.swift, Shared/GridViewCell.swift.

Architecture takeaways

  • AppDelegate is the main source-visible entry or composition anchor for this sample.
  • Framework work reaches UIKit, Photos, PhotosUI 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
Shared/MainViewController.swift MainViewController, Section, CellIdentifier, SegueIdentifier
Shared/AppDelegate.swift AppDelegate
Shared/AssetGridViewController.swift AssetGridViewController
Shared/AssetViewController.swift AssetViewController
Shared/GridViewCell.swift GridViewCell