Introduction

FlatBuffers is an efficient cross platform serialization library for games and other memory constrained apps. It allows you to directly access serialized data without unpacking/parsing it first, while still having great forwards/backwards compatibility.

SwiftFlatBuffers is a Swift library for FlatBuffers which support most FlatBuffers feature with firendly interface. 1.1.0 version starts to be compatible with Linux, Carthage and Swift Package Manager.

Usage

Generate Source code

Build flatc

Open SwiftFlatBuffers.xcworkspace and set the active schema to flatc then run. Find binary file flatc in the folder which was named flatc.

Write a schema

schema syntax

// example schema
attribute "priority";

enum Color:byte (bit_flags) { Red = 0, Green, Blue = 3 }

union Any { Monster, Stat }

struct Vec3 (force_align: 16) {
  x:float;
  y:float;
  z:float;
  test1:double;
  test2:Color;
}

struct Ability {
  id:uint(key);
  distance:uint;
}

table Stat {
  id:string;
  val:long;
  count:ushort;
}

table Monster {
  pos:Vec3 (id: 0);
  hp:short = 100 (id: 2);
  mana:short = 150 (id: 1);
  name:string (id: 3, required, key);
  color:Color = Blue (id: 6);
  inventory:[ubyte] (id: 5);
  friendly:bool = false (deprecated, priority: 1, id: 4);
  testarrayoftables:[Stat] (id: 7);
  testarrayofstring:[string] (id: 8);
  testarrayofbools:[bool] (id: 9);
  testarrayofsortedstruct:[Ability] (id: 10);
  test:Any (id: 12);
}

root_type Monster;

Generate

include namespace:

./flatc -sw xxx.fbs

with namespace:

./flatc -sw xxx.fbs --sw-namespace

Installation

CocoaPods:

pod "SwiftFlatBuffers"

Carthage:

github "TonyStark106/SwiftFlatBuffers" ~> 1.2.2

Swift Package Manager:

.Package(url: "https://github.com/TonyStark106/SwiftFlatBuffers.git", majorVersion: 1)

Code

import SwiftFlatBuffers

// Serialize
let m = Monster()
m.name = "Tony"
m.hp = 255
m.testarrayofstring = ["Spitfire", "coding"]
let data = m.toFBData()

// Deserialize
if let n = Monster(root: data) {
  print("Monster name:    \(n.name!)")
  print("Monster hp:      \(n.hp)")
  print("Monster skills:  \(n.testarrayofstring!)")
}

Example

1. Write your schema files and save them to fbs folder.
2. Run sh build_flatbuffers.sh will auto generate your source code and build in MyFlatBuffers.framework.
3. add import MyFlatBuffers in Example project and try your generated source code.

Unit Test

Open SwiftFlatBuffers.xcworkspace and set the active schema to Example then hit Command + U.

ExampleTests.swift

Licensing

SwiftFlatBuffers is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See LICENSE for the full license text.