Newbie - can GRDB run on iPadOS Swift Playgrounds

[gojyuan]

My apologies if this post is too much detail.

I am a programmer with 37 years experience - only 12 months learning Swift. I started with iPAD ( main device ) Swift Playgrounds and wanted my app to run on both iPAD and iPhone. Initial apps were using SwiftData but I had reasonable experience with Sqlite so wanted to upgrade

Purchased MacMini and installed Xcode and GRDB - works very well. Having issues getting a Developer License so had to go back to iPAD Playgrounds.

I cannot import the GRDB Package. Have tried with different versions 7.6.1 being the latest. Sometimes I get the message - Could not resolve package graph. Cannot continue.
Then sometimes Three options are presented - GRDB, GRDB-Dynamic and GRDBSqlite. I have tried each option separately and also combined ( with GRDBSqlite) and get message —Swift Package Target GRDB is linked as a static library…—

I am running the latest releases on both MacOS and iPadOS.

Any help much appreciated
Regards
Linda

[groue]

Hello @gojyuan,

I have tried each option separately and also combined ( with GRDBSqlite) and get message —Swift Package Target GRDB is linked as a static library…—

You have truncated the only interesting part: the error message. 🤷‍♂️

Anyway, I'm not sure GRDB can run on iPad Playgrounds: #467, #1115, maybe other issues (search for iPad, for example).

[gojyuan]

Thank you for your fast response.
I did see the earlier message but it was for different modules so I thought it may not apply. I do understand it may not work for Swift Playgrounds.

i have attached the full message but it is deceiving about what option was selected - the same error seemed to appear when each of the options was individually selected ie GRDB / GRDB-Dynamic or GRDBSqlite

[gojyuan]

Sorry as a sidenote, there is only a toggle in Playgrounds to turn off which version is not included.

[groue]

Well, I don't know what's happening. Anyway, you should pick only one GRDB module, not multiple ones.

[gojyuan]

Thank you, I understand that I cannot use GRDB in Playgrounds.

Just to confirm, I only selected one GRDB mode and the same message was displayed regardless of the option selected.

I won’t pursue this any more. Your help and support is very much appreciated.

[groue]

Thank you, I understand that I cannot use GRDB in Playgrounds.

Yes, sorry there wasn't any progress on that side. You can still report the missing feature at https://feedbackassistant.apple.com. Maybe Apple will finish their job one day.

[edwylugo]

O que está acontecendo

No iPad, o Swift Playgrounds só aceita targets estáticos, puros Swift e sem dependências nativas extras.

O repositório do GRDB oferece três alvos: GRDB, GRDBDynamic e GRDBSQLite.

GRDB → estático, usa o SQLite do sistema (o que o Playgrounds consegue lidar melhor).

GRDBDynamic → dinâmico (tende a falhar no Playgrounds).

GRDBSQLite → compila o SQLite junto (costuma bater nas restrições do Playgrounds).

O erro “Swift Package Target GRDB is linked as a static library…” normalmente aparece quando o Playgrounds tenta linkar dois alvos conflitantes (ex.: GRDB + GRDBSQLite) ou quando alguma dependência vira dinâmica.

Passo a passo que geralmente resolve no iPad

Remova todos os pacotes do projeto no Playgrounds. Feche o app.

Reabra o Playgrounds e adicione apenas o pacote do GRDB:
https://github.com/groue/GRDB.swift

Escolha a versão estável (7.6.1 está ok).

Selecione somente o target GRDB. Não selecione GRDBDynamic nem GRDBSQLite.

Se aparecer “Could not resolve package graph”:

Verifique conexão (Wi-Fi/dados) e tente de novo.

Abra Ajustes > Playgrounds e limpe cache (se a opção estiver disponível).

Como plano B, crie um novo projeto no Playgrounds e repita o passo 2.

Evite combinar GRDB com outros wrappers de SQLite (ex.: SQLCipher) no iPad Playgrounds.

Teste com um código mínimo:

import Foundation
import GRDB

struct Player: Codable, FetchableRecord, PersistableRecord {
    var id: Int64?
    var name: String
    var score: Int
}

func openDatabase() throws -> DatabaseQueue {
    let fm = FileManager.default
    let docs = try fm.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: true)
    let dbURL = docs.appendingPathComponent("app.sqlite")
    return try DatabaseQueue(path: dbURL.path)
}

do {
    let dbQueue = try openDatabase()
    try dbQueue.write { db in
        try db.create(table: "player", ifNotExists: true) { t in
            t.autoIncrementedPrimaryKey("id")
            t.column("name", .text).notNull()
            t.column("score", .integer).notNull()
        }
        try Player(id: nil, name: "Linda", score: 100).insert(db)
        let players = try Player.fetchAll(db)
        print(players)
    }
} catch {
    print("DB error:", error)
}

Se ainda travar no iPad

No Mac mini + Xcode, tudo fica mais simples: o SPM resolve melhor e você pode rodar no iPhone/iPad sem precisar de licença (para desenvolver e testar no próprio device você até consegue; a licença é necessária para distribuir/TestFlight/App Store).

Como “ponte”, você pode desenvolver no Xcode e só rodar fragmentos no iPad Playgrounds (sem GRDB) — ou usar SwiftData/Core Data temporariamente no iPad até o licenciamento ficar ok.

Resumo rápido

No iPad Playgrounds: use apenas GRDB (nada de GRDBDynamic/GRDBSQLite).

Limpe pacotes e tente resolver o grafo do zero se der erro.

Evite dependências que tragam linking dinâmico.

Se persistir, faça o setup no Xcode no Mac (mais estável) e continue o app universal normalmente.

[groue]

Obrigado, @edwylugo 👍

Here is a translation to English (performed by ChatGPT):

What’s happening

On iPad, Swift Playgrounds only accepts static targets, pure Swift, and no extra native dependencies.

The GRDB repository offers three targets: GRDB, GRDBDynamic, and GRDBSQLite.

• GRDB → static, uses the system SQLite (which Playgrounds handles better).
• GRDBDynamic → dynamic (tends to fail in Playgrounds).
• GRDBSQLite → compiles SQLite together (usually runs into Playgrounds’ restrictions).

The error “Swift Package Target GRDB is linked as a static library…” usually appears when Playgrounds tries to link two conflicting targets (e.g., GRDB + GRDBSQLite) or when some dependency becomes dynamic.

Step-by-step that usually works on iPad

1. Remove all packages from the project in Playgrounds. Close the app.
2. Reopen Playgrounds and add only the GRDB package:
   https://github.com/groue/GRDB.swift
3. Choose the stable version (7.6.1 is fine).
4. Select only the GRDB target. Do not select GRDBDynamic or GRDBSQLite.

If “Could not resolve package graph” appears

• Check your connection (Wi-Fi/data) and try again.
• Open Settings > Playgrounds and clear the cache (if the option is available).
• As a fallback, create a new Playgrounds project and repeat step 2.

⚠️ Avoid combining GRDB with other SQLite wrappers (e.g., SQLCipher) in iPad Playgrounds.

Test with minimal code:

import Foundation
import GRDB

struct Player: Codable, FetchableRecord, PersistableRecord {
    var id: Int64?
    var name: String
    var score: Int
}

func openDatabase() throws -> DatabaseQueue {
    let fm = FileManager.default
    let docs = try fm.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: true)
    let dbURL = docs.appendingPathComponent("app.sqlite")
    return try DatabaseQueue(path: dbURL.path)
}

do {
    let dbQueue = try openDatabase()
    try dbQueue.write { db in
        try db.create(table: "player", ifNotExists: true) { t in
            t.autoIncrementedPrimaryKey("id")
            t.column("name", .text).notNull()
            t.column("score", .integer).notNull()
        }
        try Player(id: nil, name: "Linda", score: 100).insert(db)
        let players = try Player.fetchAll(db)
        print(players)
    }
} catch {
    print("DB error:", error)
}

If it still crashes on iPad

On Mac mini + Xcode, everything is simpler: SPM resolves better and you can run on iPhone/iPad without needing a license (for developing and testing on your own device you can manage; the license is required for distribution/TestFlight/App Store).

As a “bridge,” you can develop in Xcode and only run fragments in iPad Playgrounds (without GRDB) — or temporarily use SwiftData/Core Data on iPad until licensing is sorted out.

Quick summary

• On iPad Playgrounds: use only GRDB (never GRDBDynamic/GRDBSQLite).
• Clear packages and try resolving the graph from scratch if an error occurs.
• Avoid dependencies that bring dynamic linking.
• If the issue persists, set up in Xcode on Mac (more stable) and continue the universal app normally.