what happened to uikit

At WWDC 2024, several updates and enhancements were introduced for UIKit, particularly in iOS 18. Here are some of the key changes:

1. Document Launch Experience: UIKit now offers a redesigned launch experience for document-based apps, allowing for more control over launch views and supporting template document creation. This helps in creating a distinctive identity for apps and improving the user experience.

2. Tabs and Sidebar Updates: There are major updates to tabs and sidebars, including a new API to better describe app hierarchies to UITabBarController. This allows for more integrated appearances and improved functionality.

3. Fluid Transitions: New fluid transitions have been introduced across the system, enhancing the sense of continuity in apps by keeping UI elements consistent during transitions.

4. SwiftUI and UIKit Integration: The interoperability between SwiftUI and UIKit has been enhanced, making it easier to use them interchangeably. This includes the ability to use SwiftUI animation types to animate UIKit views and improvements in gesture recognizer coordination.

5. Automatic Trait Tracking: UIKit now supports automatic trait tracking, which simplifies handling changes in traits by automatically performing associated invalidations.

6. UIUpdateLink: A new feature called UIUpdateLink helps in achieving better performance and battery efficiency by managing view updates more effectively.

7. SF Symbol Animations: SF Symbols in UIKit have been expanded with new symbol animations, providing more options for consistent and dynamic UI elements.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the session What’s new in UIKit.