core-data

What this skill does

# Core Data

Build and maintain data persistence using Core Data for apps that have not
adopted SwiftData. Covers stack setup, concurrency, batch operations,
NSFetchedResultsController, persistent history tracking, staged migration,
and testing.

## Contents

- [Stack Setup](#stack-setup)
- [Concurrency and Threading](#concurrency-and-threading)
- [NSFetchedResultsController](#nsfetchedresultscontroller)
- [Batch Operations](#batch-operations)
- [Persistent History Tracking](#persistent-history-tracking)
- [Staged Migration](#staged-migration)
- [Composite Attributes](#composite-attributes)
- [SwiftData Boundary](#swiftdata-boundary)
- [Testing](#testing)
- [Common Mistakes](#common-mistakes)
- [Review Checklist](#review-checklist)
- [References](#references)

## Stack Setup

`NSPersistentContainer` encapsulates the Core Data stack.

Docs: [NSPersistentContainer](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/coredata/nspersistentcontainer)

```swift
import CoreData

final class CoreDataStack: @unchecked Sendable {
    static let shared = CoreDataStack()

    let container: NSPersistentContainer

    private init() {
        container = NSPersistentContainer(name: "MyAppModel")
        container.loadPersistentStores { _, error in
            if let error { fatalError("Core Data store failed: \(error)") }
        }
        container.viewContext.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true
        container.viewContext.mergePolicy = NSMergeByPropertyObjectTrumpMergePolicy
    }

    var viewContext: NSManagedObjectContext { container.viewContext }

    func newBackgroundContext() -> NSManagedObjectContext {
        container.newBackgroundContext()
    }
}
```

For CloudKit sync, use `NSPersistentCloudKitContainer` instead.

## Concurrency and Threading

Core Data contexts are bound to queues. The `viewContext` is on the main queue;
background contexts operate on private queues.

Docs: [NSManagedObjectContext](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/coredata/nsmanagedobjectcontext)

**Rules:**
- Always use `perform(_:)` or `performAndWait(_:)` when accessing a context
  off its own queue.
- Never pass `NSManagedObject` instances across context or thread boundaries.
  Pass `NSManagedObjectID` instead and re-fetch.
- Set `automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true` on the `viewContext`.

```swift
// Writing on a background context
func updateTrip(id: NSManagedObjectID, newName: String) async throws {
    let context = CoreDataStack.shared.newBackgroundContext()
    try await context.perform {
        guard let trip = try context.existingObject(with: id) as? CDTrip else {
            throw PersistenceError.notFound
        }
        trip.name = newName
        try context.save()
    }
}
```

### Swift Concurrency Integration

`NSManagedObjectContext.perform(_:)` has an `async throws` overload
(iOS 15+). Avoid marking `NSManagedObject` subclasses as `Sendable`.

```swift
func importItems(_ records: [ItemRecord]) async throws {
    let context = CoreDataStack.shared.newBackgroundContext()
    try await context.perform {
        for record in records {
            let item = CDItem(context: context)
            item.id = record.id
            item.title = record.title
        }
        try context.save()
    }
    // After save completes, viewContext auto-merges if configured
}
```

**Do not use `@unchecked Sendable` on managed objects.** If you need
cross-boundary communication, pass the `objectID` (which is `Sendable`)
and re-fetch:

```swift
let objectID = trip.objectID  // Sendable
Task.detached {
    let bgContext = CoreDataStack.shared.newBackgroundContext()
    try await bgContext.perform {
        let trip = try bgContext.existingObject(with: objectID) as! CDTrip
        trip.isFavorite = true
        try bgContext.save()
    }
}
```

## NSFetchedResultsController

Efficiently drives `UITableView` / `UICollectionView` from a Core Data fetch
request, with built-in change tracking and optional caching.

Docs: [NSFetchedResultsController](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/coredata/nsfetchedresultscontroller)

```swift
import CoreData
import UIKit

class TripsViewController: UITableViewController, NSFetchedResultsControllerDelegate {

    private lazy var fetchedResultsController: NSFetchedResultsController<CDTrip> = {
        let request: NSFetchRequest<CDTrip> = CDTrip.fetchRequest()
        request.sortDescriptors = [
            NSSortDescriptor(keyPath: \CDTrip.startDate, ascending: false)
        ]
        request.fetchBatchSize = 20

        let controller = NSFetchedResultsController(
            fetchRequest: request,
            managedObjectContext: CoreDataStack.shared.viewContext,
            sectionNameKeyPath: nil,
            cacheName: "TripsCache"
        )
        controller.delegate = self
        return controller
    }()

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        try? fetchedResultsController.performFetch()
    }

    // MARK: - UITableViewDataSource

    override func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
        fetchedResultsController.sections?.count ?? 0
    }

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
        fetchedResultsController.sections?[section].numberOfObjects ?? 0
    }

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "TripCell", for: indexPath)
        let trip = fetchedResultsController.object(at: indexPath)
        cell.textLabel?.text = trip.name
        return cell
    }

    // MARK: - NSFetchedResultsControllerDelegate (diffable)

    func controller(
        _ controller: NSFetchedResultsController<any NSFetchRequestResult>,
        didChangeContentWith snapshot: NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshotReference
    ) {
        let snapshot = snapshot as NSDiffableDataSourceSnapshot<String, NSManagedObjectID>
        dataSource.apply(snapshot, animatingDifferences: true)
    }
}
```

**Key points:**
- The fetch request **must** have at least one sort descriptor.
- Call `deleteCache(withName:)` before changing the fetch request predicate or
  sort descriptors, or set `cacheName` to `nil`.
- The diffable snapshot delegate method (`didChangeContentWith:`) is available
  iOS 13+ and is preferred over the older per-change callbacks.
- After a context `reset()`, call `performFetch()` again.

## Batch Operations

Batch operations execute at the SQL level, bypassing the managed object
context. They are fast but don't trigger context notifications automatically.

### NSBatchInsertRequest (iOS 13+)

Docs: [NSBatchInsertRequest](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/coredata/nsbatchinsertrequest)

```swift
func batchImport(_ records: [[String: Any]]) async throws {
    let context = CoreDataStack.shared.newBackgroundContext()
    try await context.perform {
        let request = NSBatchInsertRequest(
            entity: CDTrip.entity(),
            objects: records
        )
        request.resultType = .objectIDs
        let result = try context.execute(request) as? NSBatchInsertResult
        if let ids = result?.result as? [NSManagedObjectID] {
            NSManagedObjectContext.mergeChanges(
                fromRemoteContextSave: [NSInsertedObjectsKey: ids],
                into: [CoreDataStack.shared.viewContext]
            )
        }
    }
}
```

### NSBatchDeleteRequest (iOS 9+)

Docs: [NSBatchDeleteRequest](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/coredata/nsbatchdeleterequest)

```swift
func deleteOldTrips(before cutoff: Date) async throws {
    let context = CoreDataStack.shared.newBackgroundContext()
    try await context.perform {
        let fetchRequest: NSFetchRequest<NSFetchRequestResult> = CDTrip.fetchRequest()
        fetchRequest.predicate = NSPredicate(format: "endDate < %@", cutoff as NSDate)
        let request = NSBatchDeleteRequest(fetchRequest: fetchRequest)
        request.resultType = .resultTypeObjectIDs
        let r