CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpiosmysqlsqlswift
user3554599
user3554599

Reputation: 81

Refreshing chat messages in iOS chat app

I am currently creating an app where 2 users will have the ability to chat with one another. Specifically, it will be an iOS app using Swift as the main language. Most chat app tutorials on the web recommend using Firebase but I personally want to use MySQL since the rest of my database activities for this app are done using MySQL. I also do not want to use any existing libraries and want to do this all on my own.

I only have questions regarding the efficiency of using MySQL. When accessing the database, I create a URLSession using swift which then uses a predetermined link that points to my PHP scripts on the backend to handle the database accessions. The only problem with this is that my chat functionality of the app will have to refresh messages (to see messages that the other user has sent you within a second or so). I am confused as how to go about this. My current idea is to have a Timer that calls the URLSession data task every second or so to retrieve new messages from the database then display them on the user's screen. Would this be efficient or is there a better way to do this? I feel as if this would bog down MySQL in some way and would over all slow down the efficiency of the database. Is there a better way to go about this?

Thanks in advance.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 270

Answers (1)

Nader
Nader

Reputation: 1148

If you really want to use MYSQL as a way of delivering messages then you can look into @TekShock's comment about using Apple's PushNotifications. You can also use Long Polling however it is not favorable at all.

I personally would not use MYSQL as a way of delivering messages just because there is a lot more better options. You can pick from messaging protocols like XMPP and MQTT to deliver your messages. I have personally have used MQTT in the past and thought it was really simple to get the hang and will fit your needs perfectly. It has a couple of really good swift clients like SwiftMQTT. You will have each device subscribe and publish to a room so it can receive and send messages. So in your case you can have a User A subscribe to ROOM 1 and a User B subscribe to the same room and they will both receive all the messages published to that specific room.

You can then if you want to store delivered messages to a MYSQL db so when the user opens the app back up you can load all their previous messages. You can also use Sqlite or Realm to store these messages locally instead of storing them online.

EDIT:

Scaling is also pretty simple with MQTT if this is something you will consider. You could place a queuing system between your application and the MQTT broker, possibly something like Apache Kafka which would be your best bet.

Upvotes: 1

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