How do I retry a failed network request with Overdrive?

Use the .retry(count) method on a Task instance, like task.retry(3), which will retry the task up to three times on failure, as demonstrated in the README example for URLSessionTask.

Overdrive vs OperationQueue: which is better for Swift concurrency?

Overdrive abstracts OperationQueue with type safety and built-in features like retry logic, simplifying common patterns. However, if you need direct control over NSOperation subclasses or prefer Apple's native APIs, OperationQueue might be more suitable.

How to limit concurrent tasks in Overdrive?

Set the maxConcurrentTaskCount property on TaskQueue, e.g., queue.maxConcurrentTaskCount = 3, to control the number of tasks running simultaneously, as explained in the Concurrency section of the README.

Can Overdrive be used with SwiftUI?

Yes, Overdrive can handle asynchronous work in SwiftUI apps, but you must ensure UI updates occur on the main thread by deferring tasks appropriately, such as using TaskQueue with custom queues.

How to unit test asynchronous tasks with Overdrive?

Overdrive is designed for testability; you can mock TaskQueue or execute tasks synchronously in tests. Refer to the linked Unit Testing documentation for detailed guidelines on verifying asynchronous operations.

Is Overdrive thread-safe by default?

Yes, all task properties are thread-safe by default, allowing access from any thread without manual synchronization, as stated in the Thread safety section of the README.

Open-Awesome

Overdrive

MITSwift0.3

A Swift framework for fast, type-safe async task execution with built-in concurrency and multi-threading.

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800 stars28 forks0 contributors

What is Overdrive?

Overdrive is a Swift framework for managing asynchronous tasks with a focus on type safety, concurrency, and multi-threading. It simplifies complex asynchronous work by providing abstractions like `Task<T>` and `TaskQueue`, enabling developers to execute tasks concurrently, retry failed operations, and write thread-safe code without deep system-level knowledge.

Target Audience

Swift developers building iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, or Linux applications who need to manage asynchronous operations efficiently and safely.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Overdrive for its type-safe task model, built-in concurrency, and thread safety, which reduce boilerplate and complexity compared to manual GCD or OperationQueue management.

Overview

⚡️ Fast async task based Swift framework with focus on type safety, concurrency and multi threading

Use Cases

Best For

Executing multiple asynchronous tasks concurrently in Swift apps
Managing network requests with retry logic and error handling
Writing thread-safe asynchronous code without manual lock management
Controlling task execution order and concurrency limits
Unit testing asynchronous operations in Swift
Building responsive apps that efficiently utilize multi-core systems

Not Ideal For

Projects heavily using Swift's modern async/await concurrency model
Simple one-off asynchronous operations where subclassing adds unnecessary boilerplate
Applications aiming for minimal dependencies without Foundation.Operation

Pros & Cons

Pros

Built-in Concurrency

Tasks run concurrently by default, leveraging multi-core systems for optimal performance, as highlighted in the Key Features.

Type-Safe Task Model

Generic Task<T> ensures compile-time type checking for results and errors, reducing runtime bugs and improving code reliability.

Thread-Safe by Default

All task properties are thread-safe, eliminating manual lock management and simplifying multithreaded code, per the Thread safety section.

Configurable Retry Logic

Built-in support for retrying tasks with configurable counts, useful for handling transient failures like network requests, as shown in the example code.

Cons

Subclassing Overhead

Requires creating a subclass of Task<T> for each asynchronous operation, leading to boilerplate code that can be verbose for simple tasks.

Legacy Foundation Dependency

Relies on Foundation.Operation, which is based on Objective-C and may not integrate well with modern Swift paradigms, as noted in long-term plans to remove it.

Missing Modern Swift Features

Does not support Swift's async/await or structured concurrency, making it less future-proof and aligned with current Swift development trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

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