SwiftUI Canvas

SwiftUI Canvas is a live preview and interactive development environment integrated into Xcode for building SwiftUI user interfaces. It allows developers to see real-time updates of their UI code as they type, without needing to compile and run the entire app. This tool provides a visual workspace for designing, testing, and debugging SwiftUI views directly within the IDE.

Also known as: SwiftUI Preview, Xcode Canvas, Live Preview, SwiftUI Interactive Canvas, Canvas in Xcode

Why learn SwiftUI Canvas?

Developers should use SwiftUI Canvas when building iOS, macOS, watchOS, or tvOS apps with SwiftUI to accelerate UI development and improve productivity. It is particularly valuable for rapid prototyping, iterative design changes, and learning SwiftUI, as it eliminates the compile-run cycle for visual feedback. Use it in scenarios like creating custom views, adjusting layout constraints, or experimenting with animations to streamline the development workflow.

Learning Resources

• docs: Apple Developer Documentation: SwiftUI Canvas
• tutorial: Hacking with Swift: SwiftUI by Example - Canvas Tutorial
• tutorial: Ray Wenderlich: Getting Started with SwiftUI Canvas
• video: Apple WWDC Video: SwiftUI Essentials
• tutorial: SwiftUI Tutorials on Apple's Website