Quick Start

This article provides a rapid integration example of Altcraft mSDK with Apple Push Notification System (APNS) and Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). After completing the steps, your app will be able to receive Altcraft push notifications.

To use Huawei Mobile Services, add the corresponding SDKs to the project and implement their interfaces using the same approach shown for APNS and FCM.

Step 0. Prerequisites

• APNS access obtained on the website;
• The app is configured in a Firebase project, and GoogleServiceInfo.plist is downloaded.

Step 1. Add packages (Swift Package Manager)

Add packages from repositories using Swift Package Manager:

• Repository Altcraft SDK;
• Repository Firebase.

Step 2. Add GoogleServiceInfo to the app

Add GoogleServiceInfo.plist to your app folder:

Step 3. App preparation

Configure the following app target settings:

• General:

  • Ensure the Altcraft library is added under Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content of the app target:

    * Ensure the **FirebaseMessaging** library is added under **Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content** of the app target:

• Signing & Capabilities:

  • PushNotifications;
  • AppGroups — specify a group identifier (adding an App Group identifier is required for data exchange with the Notification Service Extension);
  • Background Modes — enable Background fetch, Remote notification, Background processing.

• Info:

  • Add the following keys and values:

Key	Type	Value
Permitted background task scheduler identifiers	Array	"lib.Altcraft.bgTask.systemControl"
FirebaseAppDelegateProxyEnabled	Boolean	NO

The first key registers a bgTask that retries failed server requests in background mode. The second key disables the automatic method swizzling of AppDelegate that Firebase Messaging performs by default.

Step 4. Implement protocols

JWT

Implement the SDK protocol for providing a JWT token. Create a class that implements JWTInterface and override getJWT():

import Altcraft

class JWTProvider: JWTInterface {
    func getToken() -> String? {
         // your code returning JWT
      }
}

Note

getJWT() is a synchronous function. The SDK execution thread will be paused until JWT is obtained. It’s recommended that getJWT() returns immediately from cache (in-memory, SharedPreferences or EncryptedSharedPreferences) to speed up requests. Ideally, prepare a fresh JWT as early as possible (at app start) and store it in cache so the token is available without delays. Returning nil is acceptable if no value is available.

FCM

Implement the SDK protocol for providing and deleting the FCM token. Create a class that implements FCMInterface and override getToken(), deleteToken().

import FirebaseMessaging
import Altcraft

class FCMProvider: FCMInterface {
    
    /// Returns the current FCM token
    func getToken(completion: @escaping (String?) -> Void) {
    
        /// APNs token retrieved from UserDefaults
        let apnsToken = getAPNsTokenDataFromUserDefaults() 
        
        /// set the APNs token for FCM before requesting the FCM token
        Messaging.messaging().apnsToken = apnsToken
        
        /// request the FCM token
        Messaging.messaging().token { token, error in
            if error != nil {
                completion(nil)
            } else {
                completion(token)
            }
        }
    }

    /// Deletes the current FCM token
    func deleteToken(completion: @escaping (Bool) -> Void) {
        Messaging.messaging().deleteToken { error in
            if error != nil {
                completion(false)
            } else {
                completion(true)
            }
        }
    }
}

APNS

Implement the SDK protocol for providing the APNS token. Create a class that implements APNSInterface and override getToken():

import Altcraft

class APNSProvider: APNSInterface {
    /// Retrieves the current APNs token from local storage
    func getToken(completion: @escaping (String?) -> Void) {
        let token = getAPNsTokenFromUserDefault()  // pass the APNs token
        completion(token)
    }
}

Step 5. Configure Altcraft SDK and Firebase SDK in AppDelegate

Altcraft SDK:

- pass the `AppGroups` identifier to Altcraft SDK;
- register Altcraft `backgroundTasks`;
- set JWT, APNS, and FCM providers;
- register with the notification center.

Firebase SDK:

• apply the configuration;

Example of correct Altcraft SDK and Firebase SDK setup in AppDelegate

class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate,  UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate {
    func application(
        _ application: UIApplication,
        didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?
    ) -> Bool {
        // Firebase SDK configuration
        FirebaseApp.configure()
    
        // Altcraft SDK
        /// set App Group identifier
        AltcraftSDK.shared.setAppGroup(groupName: "group.your_company.name")
        /// register BGTask
        AltcraftSDK.shared.backgroundTasks.registerBackgroundTask()
        /// set JWTProvider
        AltcraftSDK.shared.setJWTProvider(provider: JWTProvider())
        /// set APNSProvider
        AltcraftSDK.shared.pushTokenFunction.setAPNSTokenProvider(APNSProvider())
        /// set FCMProvider
        AltcraftSDK.shared.pushTokenFunction.setFCMTokenProvider(FCMProvider())
        /// register with notification center
        AltcraftSDK.shared.notificationManager.registerForPushNotifications(for: application)
        
        return true
    }

    func application(
        _ application: UIApplication,
        didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken apnsToken: Data
    ) {
        // save APNs token in UserDefaults
        setAPNsTokenInUserDefault(apnsToken)
    }
}

• set the delegate;
• pass the APNS token to Firebase in AppDelegate.application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:). This ensures correct Firebase initialization and FCM token availability in background mode, for example during a BGTask. Since the APNS token is not available in AppDelegate.application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:), use the saved value (e.g., in UserDefaults).

Step 6. Create a Notification Service Extension

Create a Notification Service Extension:

• File — New — Target — Notification Service Extension;
• Choose a Product Name for the extension target;
• Activate it.

In the Notification Service Extension:

• General:

  • Set Minimum Deployments — the Xcode build setting that defines the minimum OS version supported by the Notification Service Extension;
  • Add the Altcraft library under Frameworks, Libraries and Embedded Content.

• Signing & Capabilities:

  • AppGroups — specify the AppGroup identifier.

Then configure the SDK inside your UNNotificationServiceExtension. Replace the entire automatically generated NSE code with the example below:

Example implementation of UNNotificationServiceExtension

import Altcraft
import UserNotifications

class NotificationService: UNNotificationServiceExtension {
    
    /// - important! Set your App Group identifier.
    let appGroupID = "group.your.id"
    
    /// - important! Set the provider to JWT if you are using JWT authentication.
    let jwtProvider = JWTProvider()

    override func didReceive(
        _ request: UNNotificationRequest,
        withContentHandler contentHandler: @escaping (UNNotificationContent) -> Void
    ) {

        AltcraftNSE.shared.setAppGroup(groupName: appGroupID)
        AltcraftNSE.shared.setJWTProvider(provider: jwtProvider)

        contentHandler(request.content)
        
        if AltcraftNSE.shared.isAltcraftPush(request) {
            AltcraftNSE.shared.handleNotificationRequest(
                request: request,
                contentHandler: contentHandler
            )
        } else {
            contentHandler(request.content)
        }
    }

    override func serviceExtensionTimeWillExpire() {
        AltcraftNSE.shared.serviceExtensionTimeWillExpire()
    }
}

Note

If you are not using JWT authentication, remove the call to AltcraftSDK.shared.setJWTProvider(provider: jwtProvider).

Step 7. SDK initialization

Create a configuration variable and initialize using initialization(), choosing ios-firebase as the preferred provider:

let config = AltcraftConfiguration.Builder()
.setApiUrl("your_api_url")
.setProviderPriorityList([Constants.ProviderName.firebase])
.build()

AltcraftSDK.shared.initialization(configuration: config)

In this example, ios-firebase is set as the preferred provider. You can also set APNS as the preferred provider:

let config = AltcraftConfiguration.Builder()
.setApiUrl("your_api_url")
.setProviderPriorityList([Constants.ProviderName.apns])
.build()

AltcraftSDK.shared.initialization(configuration: config)

You may omit setProviderPriorityList; the default priority will be used — ios-apns -> ios-firebase -> ios-huawei:

let config = AltcraftConfiguration.Builder()
.setApiUrl("your_api_url")
.build()

AltcraftSDK.shared.initialization(configuration: config)

Step 8. Subscribe to push notifications

Subscribe to push notifications using pushSubscribe() and pass the required parameters:

AltcraftSDK.shared.pushSubscriptionFunctions.pushSubscribe(
 profileFields: ["_fname": "user_first_name", "_lname": "user_last_name"]
)