SDK Introduction

WuKongIM iOS SDK design philosophy, architecture overview and core functionality introduction

Design Philosophy

Like designing a book’s table of contents, we design APIs through WKSDK.shared.xxxManager to access all needed functionality, for example sending messages [WKSDK.shared.chatManager sendMessage:xxx]

Architecture Overview

// Chat Manager
// Responsible for message-related CRUD operations like sending messages, deleting messages, 
// recalling messages, listening to chat messages, etc.
WKSDK.shared.chatManager

// Connection Manager
// Responsible for establishing or disconnecting connections with IM, 
// monitoring IM connection status, etc.
WKSDK.shared.connectionManager

// Channel Manager
// Responsible for channel data retrieval, caching and channel settings 
// like pinning, do not disturb, muting, etc.
WKSDK.shared.channelManager

// Conversation Manager
// Responsible for maintaining recent conversation data like unread counts, 
// drafts, @mentions, last messages, etc.
WKSDK.shared.conversationManager

// Reaction Manager
// Responsible for maintaining like/reaction data
WKSDK.shared.reactionManager

// CMD Manager
// Responsible for listening to command-type messages sent from the server
WKSDK.shared.cmdManager

// Receipt Manager
// Responsible for maintaining read/unread status of messages
WKSDK.shared.receiptManager

// Reminder Manager
// Responsible for reminder items in recent conversations like @mentions, 
// group join requests, etc. Also supports custom reminders like WeChat's 
// [Red Packet] [Transfer] list reminders
WKSDK.shared.reminderManager

// Media Manager
// Responsible for uploading and downloading multimedia files in messages 
// like images, videos, and other messages with attachments
WKSDK.shared.mediaManager

SDK Integration with Existing Apps

The overall flow of SDK integration with existing apps is: Existing APP calls SDK methods → Data changes occur → Notify existing APP through delegate callbacks

For example, common message sending → Message status changes → Notify existing APP to update UI send status indicators

// Send message through chatManager
[WKSDK.shared.chatManager sendMessage:xxx]

// Listen to message status changes through chatManager's delegate
-(void) onMessageUpdate:(WKMessage*) message  {
    if(message.status == SUCCESS) {
      [self updateItemUIWithSuccess:message];
    }else {
       [self updateItemUIWithFail:message];
    }
}

Core Functionality Modules

Chat Management (ChatManager)

• Message sending, receiving, deletion
• Message recall and editing
• Message status monitoring
• Historical message queries

Connection Management (ConnectionManager)

• IM connection establishment and disconnection
• Connection status monitoring
• Network status handling
• Automatic reconnection mechanism

Channel Management (ChannelManager)

• Channel information retrieval and caching
• Channel settings (pinning, do not disturb, muting)
• Channel member management
• Channel status synchronization

Conversation Management (ConversationManager)

• Recent conversation list maintenance
• Unread message counting
• Conversation draft management
• @mention reminders

Media Management (MediaManager)

• Image, video, audio upload and download
• File transfer progress monitoring
• Media file cache management
• Thumbnail generation

Development Advantages

• Unified Entry Point: Access all functionality through WKSDK.shared
• Modular Design: Clear separation of functional modules for easy maintenance
• Event-Driven: Event callbacks based on delegate pattern
• High Performance: Local database caching reduces network requests
• Easy Integration: Clean API design for quick integration into existing projects

Next Steps

After understanding the overall architecture of iOS SDK, you can:

1. SDK Integration - Start integrating WuKongIM iOS SDK
2. Connection Management - Learn how to establish and manage connections
3. Chat Management - Implement message sending and receiving functionality
4. Channel Management - Manage channels and members
5. Conversation Management - Handle conversation lists and unread messages