Web Development in Swift (iOS/macOS): From Basics to Deployment

This book is a comprehensive practical guide to web development in Swift. If you are already familiar with iOS or macOS development and want to expand your skills to the server side, or are just starting your programming journey but have chosen Swift — this edition will become your reliable assistant.

The book is built on the principle of "from simple to complex." You will start with installing tools and setting up the environment, and then step by step create a full-fledged web application based on the Vapor framework — the most popular solution for server-side Swift. You will learn how routes, middleware, controllers, and Leaf templating engines work.

Special attention is given to working with databases via the Fluent ORM: you will learn to create models, migrations, table relationships, and execute complex queries. Separate chapters are dedicated to authentication (JWT, sessions), file uploads, email sending, and working with WebSockets to create real-time applications.

Who this book is for:

• iOS/macOS developers looking to master server-side development in Swift
• Backend developers interested in modern alternatives to Node.js and Go
• Students and beginner programmers who have chosen Swift as their first language
• Fullstack developers who want to write both client and server in one language

What you will learn and discover:

• Install and configure Vapor 4 for macOS and Linux
• Design REST APIs from scratch
• Work with PostgreSQL, SQLite, and MySQL via Fluent
• Implement registration, login, and route protection
• Create WebSocket chats and push notifications
• Write tests for server applications
• Deploy applications to VPS, Heroku, and Docker

Each chapter contains practical examples, ready-to-use code, and exercises for independent work. At the end of the book, you will find a deployment checklist and tips for monitoring production applications.

The book is suitable both for self-study and for use as a reference when developing real projects. All examples are compatible with Swift 5.7+ and Xcode 14+.