Getting Started
Relevant source files
The following files were used as context for generating this wiki page:
The Social-Connect project is a Swift-based mobile application framework designed to facilitate social interactions through integrated API services and deep linking capabilities. The system architecture emphasizes a decoupled approach where network requests, user actions, and external URL handling are managed by specialized components.
Developers getting started with the project should focus on the interaction between the application lifecycle, handled in the AppDelegate, and the underlying services that manage authentication and data persistence.
Sources: README.md:1-2, AppDelegate.swift:3-7
Core Architecture Overview
The application follows a modular architecture where specific managers handle distinct responsibilities such as network communication, secure storage, and user-specific logic.
Key Components
| Component | Responsibility |
|---|---|
AppDelegate | Manages application lifecycle and entry points for deep links. |
DeepLinkHandler | Parses incoming URLs and routes them to appropriate services. |
UserService | Provides high-level methods for user interactions like following/unfollowing. |
APIClient | Handles low-level HTTP requests and header configuration. |
KeychainManager | Securely retrieves authentication tokens from the iOS Keychain. |
Sources: AppDelegate.swift:16-19, DeepLinkHandler.swift:3-6, UserService.swift:3-6, APIClient.swift:3-6, KeychainManager.swift:4-7
Dependency Graph
The following diagram illustrates how the different components within Social-Connect depend on one another to execute business logic.
The diagram shows the flow of dependencies from the application entry point down to the secure storage layer.
Sources: AppDelegate.swift:8, DeepLinkHandler.swift:4, UserService.swift:6, APIClient.swift:18
Authentication and Security
Security is managed via the KeychainManager, which interfaces with the iOS Security framework to retrieve stored credentials. This token is then automatically injected into the Authorization header for outgoing network requests.
Token Retrieval Flow
The APIClient checks for a valid token before every POST request.
Deep Linking and Routing
Social-Connect supports deep links to trigger specific actions or navigate to content directly. These links are received by the AppDelegate and processed by the DeepLinkHandler.
Supported Deep Link Hosts
| Host | Action | Required Parameters |
|---|---|---|
profile | Navigates to a user's profile page. | userId |
follow | Executes a follow action on a user. | userId |
message | Opens the messaging interface. | N/A |
post | Opens a specific post. | N/A |
Sources: DeepLinkHandler.swift:15-26, DeepLinkHandler.swift:30-33, DeepLinkHandler.swift:40-43
URL Handling Logic
When a URL is processed, the system extracts query items to perform service calls. For example, a "follow" deep link triggers a network request through the UserService.
Networking and User Services
The UserService acts as a facade for user-related API operations. It utilizes a shared instance for consistent state management and posts notifications via NotificationCenter to update the UI when status changes occur.
API Request Configuration
The APIClient defines a base URL and standard headers for all requests:
- Base URL:
https://api.socialconnect.com/v1/ - Content-Type:
application/json - Authorization:
Bearer [token]
Sources: APIClient.swift:4-16, UserService.swift:14-16
Follow/Unfollow Implementation
func followUser(userId: String, completion: ((Bool, Error?) -> Void)? = nil) {
let endpoint = "users/\(userId)/follow"
apiClient.post(endpoint: endpoint) { success, error in
if success {
NotificationCenter.default.post(name: .userFollowStatusChanged, object: nil)
}
completion?(success, error)
}
}
Sources: UserService.swift:9-19
Summary
To begin development, ensure that the KeychainManager is populated with a valid authToken. The application's entry point for external interaction is the handleDeepLink(url:) method, which orchestrates calls between the routing logic and the network services. Successful interactions will broadcast notifications through the system to update relevant UI components.