Introduction to Server-side Swift in iOS App Development

Server-side Swift is a term used to refer to the ability to use Swift programming language to create web applications and APIs. Traditionally, web application development has mainly been the realm of languages like Ruby, Python, and PHP, but the rise of Swift has seen the language gain recognition as a viable option for server-side development. If you are an iOS developer accustomed to Swift, server-side Swift may be an excellent choice for you to expand your abilities and leverage the reusability of code across frontend and backend coding.

Features of Server-side Swift in iOS app development

The following are some of the benefits of server-side Swift in iOS app development:

• Code reusability – Swift helps to ease the process of switching back and forth between server-side and client-side code with its simplicity and ease of use.
• Improved App Security – server-side Swift reduces the chances of security breaches, making it easier to write more secure iOS applications.
• Swift code is easy to read, write and understand, making it easier for developers to work as a team.
• Swift web frameworks such as Kitura or Vapor are easy to set up, configure and familiarize with for new starters.

A Simple Code Example

Here we use a seemingly little challenge: writing a function that fetches some data from an API, sends the data to the server as a JSON payload, and then receives a response from the server. Here is a sample function:

import Foundation

func fetchAndSend() {
  
  let url = URL(string: "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users")
  let data = try! Data(contentsOf: url!)
  
  let json = try! JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data, options: []) as AnyObject
  
  let jsonData = try! JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: json)
  
  // Send data to server and await response
  
}

Here, we use URLSession API to invoke an API and fetch data using the endpoint provided. We then serialize the data into JSON and send it to the server.

Conclusion

Server-side Swift offers immense benefits that can help developers expand their skill set and achieve more in iOS app development. With Swift's simplicity and ease of use, combined with its strength and flexibility, writing server-side code can be a breeze for iOS developers. With robust web frameworks like Vapor, server-side programming in Swift can also be tremendously easy to learn, exponentially expanding your skill set with minimal effort.