Data Storage Recipes

Abstract

When working in iOS, one of the most important topics to understand is the concept, use, and implementation of persistence. This term refers to the idea of having information be saved and retrieved, or “persist,” through the closing or restarting of an application. Just as pages from books written thousands of years ago can still be read, we are able to make use of certain key concepts in iOS to allow our information, from the simplest of values to the most complex of data structures, to stay stored in our device for indefinite periods of time. We will cover a variety of methods of persistence throughout this chapter with different advantages, disadvantages, general uses, and complexities, so that we can develop a full understanding of the best method of storage for any given situation.