Achieving multi-threading by creating threads manually in Swift

What is Threading?

Threading is a fundamental concept in programming that allows for the concurrent execution of code. By using multiple threads, you can perform multiple tasks simultaneously, improving the efficiency and performance of your application.

Why Use Threading?

• Improved Performance: Execute multiple operations in parallel.
• Responsiveness: Keep your application responsive by performing long-running tasks in the background.
• Resource Utilization: Make better use of system resources by distributing workloads.

Thread API in Swift

Thread will be available in the Foundation framework

import Foundation

class CustomThread {
    func createThreadUsingObjSelector() {
        let thread = Thread(target: self, selector: #selector(threadExecutor), object: nil)
        thread.start()
    }

    @objc private func threadExecutor() {
        print("Executing threadExecutor \(Thread.current)")
    }

    func createThreadUsingTrailingClosures() {
        let thread = Thread {
            print("Executing createThreadUsingTrailingClosures \(Thread.current)")
        }
        thread.start()
    }
}

let customThread = CustomThread()
customThread.createThreadUsingObjSelector()
customThread.createThreadUsingTrailingClosures()

Pros of using Manual Threads

1. Fine-Grained Control: You have complete control over thread creation, management, and execution (like start, cancel etc)
2. Customization: You can customize thread behaviour to suit specific needs.

Crons of using Manual Threads

1. Resource Intensive: Creating and managing many threads can be resource-intensive and may degrade performance if not managed properly.
2. Scalability: Manual threading may not scale well with the increasing complexity of applications.
3. More Power comes with higher responsibility.
4. Improper management may cause memory leaks in the app.
5. Managing Order of Execution.

Conclusion

Threading is a powerful tool for improving the performance and responsiveness of your applications. While manual threading provides fine-grained control, it comes with complexity and potential pitfalls. By understanding the pros and cons, and following best practices, you can effectively utilize threading in your Swift applications.

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