Unrealm
Unrealm enables storing Swift native types (structs, classes, enums) in Realm databases without inheriting from Object.
What is Unrealm?
Unrealm is a Swift library that extends RealmCocoa to allow storing native Swift types—such as structs, classes, and enums—directly in Realm databases. It solves the problem of being forced to inherit from Realm's Object class, enabling a more natural Swift development experience with protocol-oriented design.
iOS and macOS developers using Realm for local persistence who want to use Swift-native types like structs and enums without the limitations of Realm's Object inheritance.
Developers choose Unrealm because it eliminates boilerplate code, reduces Realm-related crashes (like thread access issues), and integrates seamlessly with Swift's Codable and optional types, making Realm usage more Swift-idiomatic.
Overview
Unrealm is an extension on RealmCocoa, which enables Swift native types to be saved in Realm.
Use Cases
Best For
- Storing Swift structs and enums in Realm databases
- Eliminating Realm's Object inheritance requirement
- Reducing boilerplate code in Realm models
- Integrating Realm with Swift's Codable protocol
- Avoiding Realm crashes from incorrect thread access
- Using protocol-oriented programming with Realm
Not Ideal For
- Real-time collaborative applications requiring automatic object updates across threads
- Projects dependent on Realm's latest features not yet supported by Unrealm's version lock
- Teams prioritizing first-party, officially supported solutions over third-party extensions
- Prototyping with minimal setup where vanilla Realm's Object inheritance suffices
Pros & Cons
Pros
Enables direct storage of Swift structs, classes, and enums in Realm, as highlighted in the README's Features list, eliminating the need for Object inheritance.
Gets rid of @objc dynamic var and RealmOptional boilerplate, using standard Swift syntax for model definitions, reducing code complexity.
Avoids common Realm crashes like thread access errors and invalidated objects, improving app stability as stated in the Pros section.
Works seamlessly with Swift's Codable protocol for encoding and decoding, making integration with JSON and other formats straightforward.
Cons
Manual updates are required after modifying objects, losing Realm's automatic real-time synchronization, as admitted in the Cons section of the README.
Requires registering all types in AppDelegate's didFinishLaunchingWithOptions, adding an extra initialization step not needed in vanilla Realm.
Tied to specific Realm versions (e.g., v10.15.1), which may cause compatibility issues or break with future Realm updates, limiting long-term use.
Frequently Asked Questions
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