Working with Excel in Swift on iOS and macOS: Libraries and Examples

Working with Excel in Swift (iOS/macOS): Libraries and Code Examples

Developing applications for iOS and macOS often requires integration with the Excel format (.xlsx, .xls). Apple's native tools do not provide a direct API for working with these files, so developers use third-party libraries. In this article, we will look at three popular options: CoreXLSX, xlsxwriter, and SwiftCSV, and provide practical examples for reading and writing data.

1. CoreXLSX — Reading and Writing .xlsx

CoreXLSX is an open-source library written entirely in Swift. It is based on the internal ZIP format (since .xlsx is a ZIP archive with XML files). It supports reading, writing, and editing sheets, cells, and styles.

Installation: via Swift Package Manager (SPM), add the package https://github.com/CoreOffice/CoreXLSX.git.

Example: Reading Data from Excel

import CoreXLSX

func readExcelExample() {    guard let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "data", ofType: "xlsx"),          let data = try? Data(contentsOf: URL(fileURLWithPath: filePath)),          let file = try? XLSXFile(data: data) else {        print("Failed to load file")        return    }        do {        let sharedStrings = try file.parseSharedStrings()        let worksheet = try file.parseWorksheet(at: "xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml")                for row in worksheet.data?.rows ?? [] {            var rowValues: [String] = []            for cell in row.cells {                if let stringRef = cell.stringValue(sharedStrings) {                    rowValues.append(stringRef)                } else if let value = cell.value {                    rowValues.append(value)                } else {                    rowValues.append("")                }            }            print(rowValues.joined(separator: ", "))        }    } catch {        print("Parsing error: \\(error)")    }}

2. xlsxwriter — Creating Excel Files in Swift

xlsxwriter is a wrapper around the libxlsxwriter library (C implementation). It allows creating .xlsx files with formatting, formulas, and charts. Ideal for generating reports on macOS and iOS.

Installation: via CocoaPods (pod 'xlsxwriter') or SPM.

Example: Creating a Simple File

import xlsxwriter

func createExcelExample() {    let documentDirectory = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory    let fileURL = documentDirectory.appendingPathComponent("report.xlsx")        let workbook = Workbook(path: fileURL.path)    let sheet = workbook.addWorksheet(named: "Report")        // Headers    sheet.writeString("Name", at: column: 0, row: 0)    sheet.writeString("Age", at: column: 1, row: 0)    sheet.writeString("City", at: column: 2, row: 0)        // Data    sheet.writeString("Anna", at: column: 0, row: 1)    sheet.writeNumber(28, at: column: 1, row: 1)    sheet.writeString("Moscow", at: column: 2, row: 1)        sheet.writeString("Ivan", at: column: 0, row: 2)    sheet.writeNumber(35, at: column: 1, row: 2)    sheet.writeString("Saint Petersburg", at: column: 2, row: 2)        workbook.close()    print("File created: \\(fileURL)")}

3. SwiftCSV — Working with CSV (Excel Alternative)

If you don't need the full .xlsx format, SwiftCSV is a lightweight library for reading and writing CSV files. CSV can be easily opened in Excel and other spreadsheet editors.

Installation: via SPM: https://github.com/swiftcsv/SwiftCSV.git.

Example: Reading and Writing CSV

import SwiftCSV

func csvExample() {    // Reading    guard let csvURL = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "data", with