CODEWITHSUNDEEP
iosxcodeframeworks
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Reputation: 425

iOS framework works okay without "linking" to app, why is it needed then?

I'm experimenting with HealthKit in my app and I've noticed that I can import HealthKit, use it's features, compile and run the app without the HealthKit.framework being linked to my app in "Linked Frameworks and Libraries" (in General target settings). If that is the case, why is it required to link to system frameworks in the first place?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 542

Answers (2)

michal.ciurus
michal.ciurus

Reputation: 3664

Lion's answer is correct, but incomplete.

Xcode introduced something called Modules. Modules were introduced in Xcode 5.0 and is an alternate way of including/importing files.

Other than some compilation optimizations it includes something that's called Auto Linking.

When a source file includes a header from a framework that supports modules, the compiler generates extra information in the object file to automatically link in that framework

Source

Swift uses modules by default. Objective-C uses modules when you use @import instead of #import.

So in short, Xcode always uses auto-linking unless you're using #import.

You can read here for more details.

Upvotes: 3

Ketan Parmar
Ketan Parmar

Reputation: 27448

No there is no need with latest sdk or say latest xcode. If you can import framework and can use it without adding it in Linked Frameworks and Libraries then there is no need to add that framework to Linked Frameworks and Libraries, because by default it is already linked with your project.

Upvotes: 0

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