Swift Async Algorithms
Article Summary
Tony Parker from Apple just dropped a game-changer for async Swift development. If you've been wrestling with time-based operations or multi-input streams, this new package solves problems you didn't know had elegant solutions.
Apple released Swift Async Algorithms, an open-source package that brings production-ready algorithms for AsyncSequence. Built on Swift 5.5's async/await foundation, it tackles the notoriously complex challenge of handling values over time with algorithms like debounce, throttle, and combineLatest.
Key Takeaways
- Includes 7+ algorithms: zip, combineLatest, merge, chain, buffer, debounce, throttle
- Debounce input handling in one line: input.debounce(for: .seconds(0.5))
- Cross-platform package works across iOS versions without OS dependencies
- Natural error handling with try/await, no complex operator chains required
- Applies real-world lessons learned from Combine framework since 2019
Critical Insight
Swift Async Algorithms gives developers battle-tested, time-based operations for AsyncSequence that are simpler to implement and reason about than Combine's operator chains.
