What changes are coming to UIKit in iOS 18

In iOS 18, UIKit has received several significant updates and new features. Here are the key changes:

1. Document Launch Experience:

   • Redesigned launch experience for document-based apps, allowing full control over launch views and support for template document creation. This helps in creating a distinctive identity for apps and guiding users in creating their first document. What’s new in UIKit

2. Tab and Sidebar Updates:

   • Major updates to tabs and sidebars, including a new syntax in SwiftUI for TabView to catch common errors at build time. UIKit has new APIs to better describe app hierarchy to UITabBarController. What’s new in UIKit
   • The tab bar now shares a safe area with the navigation bar for a more integrated appearance. Elevate your tab and sidebar experience in iPadOS

3. Fluid Transitions:

   • Support for new fluid transitions across the system, enhancing the sense of continuity in apps by keeping the same UI elements on screen during transitions. What’s new in UIKit

4. SwiftUI Animations in UIKit:

   • SwiftUI animation types can now be used to animate UIKit views, allowing for fluid gesture-driven animations and seamless integration between SwiftUI and UIKit. What’s new in UIKit

5. Automatic Trait Tracking:

   • UIKit now supports automatic trait tracking, making it easier to handle changes in traits and improving performance by only creating necessary trait dependencies. What’s new in UIKit

6. List Improvements:

   • Updates to collection and table view APIs, including new list environment traits and background configurations that automatically update appearance based on the list environment. What’s new in UIKit

7. UIUpdateLink:

   • A new feature similar to CADisplayLink, but with more advanced features for better performance and battery efficiency, making it easier to implement complex animations. What’s new in UIKit

8. Apple Pencil Pro and PencilKit:

   • New APIs for Apple Pencil Pro, including an undo slider and the ability to define available tools in PKToolPicker. What’s new in UIKit

These updates aim to streamline the user interface, enhance app performance, and improve the integration between UIKit and SwiftUI. For a detailed overview, you can watch the session What’s new in UIKit.