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SimpleX Chat iOS -- Specification Overview
Technical specification suite for the SimpleX Chat iOS application. Each document provides bidirectional links to product documentation and source code.
Executive Summary
The SimpleX Chat iOS app is a native SwiftUI frontend that communicates with a Haskell core library via C FFI. All chat logic, encryption, protocol handling, and database operations happen in the Haskell core (chat_ctrl). The iOS layer handles UI rendering, system integration (CallKit, Push Notifications, Background Tasks), local preferences, and theming. The app shares its database with a Notification Service Extension (NSE) for decrypting push payloads while the main app is inactive.
Dependency Graph
SimpleXApp (root entry point)
├── ChatModel (ObservableObject state) <-> SimpleXAPI (FFI bridge) <-> Haskell Core (chat_ctrl)
├── Views (SwiftUI)
│ ├── ChatListView -> ChatView -> ComposeView
│ ├── ChatItemView (renders individual messages)
│ ├── Settings, UserProfiles, Onboarding
│ └── ActiveCallView (WebRTC + CallKit)
├── Models
│ ├── ChatModel (global app state -- singleton)
│ ├── ItemsModel (per-chat message list state -- singleton + secondary instances)
│ ├── ChatTagsModel (tag filtering state)
│ └── Chat (per-conversation observable state)
├── Services
│ ├── NtfManager (push notification coordination)
│ ├── BGManager (background task scheduling)
│ ├── CallController (CallKit + VoIP push)
│ └── ThemeManager (theme resolution engine)
└── Extensions
├── SimpleX NSE (Notification Service Extension -- decrypts push payloads)
└── SimpleX SE (Share Extension)
Specification Documents
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Architecture | System architecture, FFI bridge, app lifecycle, extension model |
| Chat API Reference | Complete ChatCommand, ChatResponse, ChatEvent, ChatError type reference |
| State Management | ChatModel, ItemsModel, Chat, ChatInfo, preference storage |
| Database & Storage | SQLite databases, encryption, file storage, export/import |
| Chat View | Message rendering, chat item types, context menu actions |
| Chat List | Conversation list, filtering, search, swipe actions |
| Message Composition | Compose bar, attachments, reply/edit/forward modes, voice recording |
| Navigation | Navigation stack, deep linking, sheet presentation, call overlay |
| Push Notifications | NtfManager, NSE, notification modes, token lifecycle |
| WebRTC Calling | CallController, WebRTCClient, CallKit, signaling via SMP |
| File Transfer | Inline/XFTP transfer, auto-receive, CryptoFile, file constants |
| Theme Engine | ThemeManager, default themes, customization layers, wallpapers |
| Impact Graph | Source file → product concept mapping, risk levels |
Related Product Documentation
Source Code Entry Points
| File | Role |
|---|---|
Shared/SimpleXApp.swift |
App entry point, Haskell init, lifecycle management |
Shared/AppDelegate.swift |
UIApplicationDelegate for push token registration |
Shared/ContentView.swift |
Root view -- authentication gate, call overlay, navigation |
Shared/Model/ChatModel.swift |
Primary observable state (ChatModel, ItemsModel, Chat) |
Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift |
FFI bridge -- chatSendCmd, chatApiSendCmd, sendSimpleXCmd |
Shared/Model/AppAPITypes.swift |
ChatCommand, ChatResponse, ChatEvent enums (iOS app layer) |
SimpleXChat/APITypes.swift |
APIResult, ChatError, ChatCmdProtocol (shared framework) |
SimpleXChat/ChatTypes.swift |
User, ChatInfo, Contact, GroupInfo, ChatItem data types |
SimpleXChat/SimpleX.h |
C header for Haskell FFI functions |