how to improve swift concurrency performance?

Asked on 06/16/2025

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To improve Swift concurrency performance, you can follow several strategies discussed in the WWDC sessions:

  1. Move Code Off the Main Thread: Identify and move non-UI related code off the main thread to improve app responsiveness. This can be done by using Swift Concurrency to separate tasks that can run concurrently or asynchronously. For example, network requests or expensive computations can be offloaded to background threads. This is discussed in the session Embracing Swift concurrency.

  2. Use the MainActor Appropriately: For Swift modules that primarily interact with the UI, set the default actor isolation to MainActor. This ensures that UI updates are handled on the main thread, while other tasks can be offloaded to background threads. This approach is recommended in the session Embracing Swift concurrency.

  3. Profile and Optimize: Use profiling tools to identify performance bottlenecks and understand where your tasks might be off CPU. This can help you determine if there are APIs being misused or if there are too many threads being created. The session Optimize CPU performance with Instruments provides insights into using these tools effectively.

  4. Adopt Structured Concurrency: Structured concurrency helps manage asynchronous tasks and prevent data races. It allows you to offload tasks to the background while maintaining data safety. The session Code-along: Elevate an app with Swift concurrency provides a practical guide on how to implement this in your app.

  5. Enable Approachable Concurrency Settings: Use the "Approachable Concurrency" setting in your build configuration to enable features that make working with concurrency easier. This is particularly useful for projects that are new to concurrency.

By following these strategies, you can improve the performance and responsiveness of your Swift applications using concurrency.