In software development, an application’s architecture is key to its performance, scalability, and maintainability. Two fundamental aspects of this process are dependency injection in .NET Core and the integration of in-app purchases in SwiftUI.
Dependency injection allows for efficient management of an application’s services and components, reducing coupling and facilitating code reuse.
In the iOS ecosystem, properly implementing in-app purchases with storekit swiftui helps improve the user experience and ensure secure transactions.
In this article, we’ll explore how to leverage these tools to create more efficient and optimized applications.
What is Dependency Injection?
Dependency injection is a design pattern that makes it easier to manage an application’s components by decoupling their creation and use.
In .NET Core, dependency injection is a built-in feature that allows for efficient management of services. Thanks to its service container system, developers can define, register, and use dependencies without worrying about their lifecycle or manual instantiation.
Advantages of using dependency injection in .NET Core
Implementing dependency injection in .NET Core improves code structure and facilitates maintenance. These are its main advantages:
- More modular and reusable code: It separates business logic, making it easier to update and scale the application.
- Facilitates unit testing: It allows the use of mocks and stubs to test components without the need for real instances.
- Better object lifecycle management: It controls the creation and destruction of services, optimizing resource usage.
- Tighter coupling: It reduces direct dependencies between classes, allowing changes without affecting other parts of the code.
- Improved maintenance and scalability: Adding new features is easier without affecting the existing structure.
- Native support in .NET Core: It does not require external libraries, as the framework provides an efficient dependency container.
In-App Purchases in SwiftUI
Just as dependency injection in .NET Core helps create more scalable and modular applications, monetization through in-app purchases is a key process in the iOS ecosystem.
SwiftUI and StoreKit simplify this implementation, allowing developers to securely offer digital products, subscriptions, and premium content.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to add in-app purchases in SwiftUI with a detailed, technical approach.
Configuring Products in App Store Connect
Before starting the implementation in code, you need to define the products that will be offered within the app. To do this, access App Store Connect and go to the “Manage In-App Products” section. Here you can add different types of purchases:
- Consumables: These are products that can be purchased multiple times, such as virtual currencies or lives in a game.
- Non-consumables: These are purchased once and remain permanently available in the user’s account, such as unlocking premium features.
- Subscriptions: These allow access to content or features for a specific period, whether monthly, yearly, or another defined interval.
Each product must have a unique Product ID, a descriptive name, and a price, all of which must be configured correctly to ensure availability within the app.
StoreKit Implementation in SwiftUI
Once the products have been registered in App Store Connect, it’s time to integrate them into the app using StoreKit. To do this, the first thing we need to do is import the framework and create a class that manages in-app purchases.
The PurchaseManager class will be responsible for managing product retrieval, purchases, and restoration of previous purchases. We will implement ObservableObject so that SwiftUI can react to changes in the purchase status.
This class serves three main functions:
- Get the products registered in App Store Connect with fetchProducts().
- Make a purchase when the user selects a product with buyProduct().
- Manage transactions to record successful, failed, or restored purchases.
- Finish all transactions with “SKPaymentQueue.default().finishTransaction(transaction)”, as otherwise, they could remain pending and cause problems with future purchases.
Displaying Products in SwiftUI
To allow users to purchase products, we’ll create a SwiftUI view that lists the items available within the app and displays them interactively.
This view is responsible for:
- Displaying the list of products obtained from App Store Connect.
- Allowing the user to make a purchase with the tap of a button.
- Using @StateObject to ensure the PurchaseManager remains active while the view is in use.
Restoring Previous Purchases
If your app offers non-consumable products or subscriptions, it’s important to add an option to restore previous purchases. This is useful when users reinstall the app or change devices.
To achieve this, we added a function in PurchaseManager and then, in our view, added a button to restore purchases:
Best Practices:
- Always include a restore option in your app settings.
- Restored purchases should automatically unlock content.
Sandbox Testing
Before submitting your app to the App Store, it’s crucial to test in-app purchases in a secure environment. To do this:
- Create a test user in App Store Connect within the Sandbox Tester section.
- Enable the test environment in Xcode to simulate purchases without spending real money.
- Monitor transactions on the real device to ensure purchases and restorations work correctly.
Now you have the foundation to implement in-app purchases correctly, ensuring that products are accessible, transactions are secure, and that users can restore their purchases when necessary.
Common Mistakes When Integrating In-App Purchases in SwiftUI and How to Fix Them
When developing apps with in-app purchases in SwiftUI, it’s common to make mistakes that can affect functionality and user experience. Below, we review the five most common issues and how to fix them.
Incorrect Product Configuration in App Store Connect
One of the most common mistakes is not correctly registering products in App Store Connect. If the product IDs don’t match those configured in the code, the app won’t be able to load items available for purchase.
To avoid this, it’s a good idea to verify that the products are correctly created, with their statuses active and approved before testing the integration.
Not Properly Managing Transaction Status
Many developers forget to monitor the status of purchases, which can result in pending or failed transactions without notifying the user.
To fix this, it’s crucial to implement a system that listens for and manages changes to purchases in real-time, ensuring the user receives a confirmation when the purchase is complete or a clear message if something goes wrong.
Lack of an option to restore purchases
If the app doesn’t allow restoring previous purchases, users who reinstall the app or change devices will lose access to their purchased products.
To avoid this, include a restore purchases button in the app’s settings and test its functionality on different devices. A good SwiftUI in-app purchases tutorial should address this aspect.
Not handling payment errors correctly
Internet connection failures, declined payment methods or interruptions during the purchase can lead to a poor user experience if not handled correctly.
It’s advisable to display informative messages and offer the option to retry the purchase later. It’s also important to ensure the app doesn’t charge double charges if the user tries to purchase again.
Not testing in a realistic development environment
Many developers test purchases only in the simulator, without testing on a real device. This can lead to unexpected issues when releasing the app, as some errors only occur in a production environment. Before publishing, it’s a good idea to test purchases on a physical device using Apple’s sandbox mode and ensure that the payment implements in SwiftUI are working properly.
By avoiding these pitfalls and following best practices, you can ensure a smooth and seamless purchasing experience for users.
For those looking to simplify these processes and efficiently manage in-app purchases, there are specialized tools that facilitate implementation, such as namiml.com, which offers solutions designed to improve monetization without the hassle.
Ultimately, choosing the right best practices and tools will make all the difference in the success of any app.
