How do I use NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot effectively?

NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot is a powerful API introduced in iOS 13 that simplifies working with collection views and table views by managing the differences between data states. This class is particularly useful when implementing complex data structures where changes might need to be animated or managed fluidly.

To use NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot effectively, follow these steps:

  1. Define your data types: Use enums or structs for your sections and items.
  2. Create a data source: Use a UICollectionViewDiffableDataSource or UITableViewDiffableDataSource.
  3. Create a snapshot: Use NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot to represent your current data state.
  4. Apply the snapshot to your data source: This updates your UI automatically with visual changes based on the changes in the snapshot.

Here is an example demonstrating how to use NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot with a table view:

// Define your model types enum Section { case main } struct Item: Hashable { let identifier: UUID let title: String } // Create the data source let dataSource = UITableViewDiffableDataSource
(tableView: tableView) { (tableView: UITableView, indexPath: IndexPath, item: Item) -> UITableViewCell? in let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "cell", for: indexPath) cell.textLabel?.text = item.title return cell } // Create a snapshot var snapshot = NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot
() snapshot.appendSections([.main]) // Add items to the snapshot let items = [Item(identifier: UUID(), title: "Item 1"), Item(identifier: UUID(), title: "Item 2")] snapshot.appendItems(items) // Apply the snapshot dataSource.apply(snapshot, animatingDifferences: true)

NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot UITableViewDiffableDataSource UICollectionViewDiffableDataSource iOS 13 Swift data management