README.md

![Alamofire: Elegant Networking in Swift](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Alamofire/Alamofire/assets/alamofire.png)

Alamofire is an HTTP networking library written in Swift, from the [creator](https://github.com/mattt) of [AFNetworking](https://github.com/afnetworking/afnetworking).

## Features

- [x] Chainable Request / Response methods
- [x] URL / JSON / plist Parameter Encoding
- [x] Upload File / Data / Stream
- [x] Download using Request or Resume data
- [x] Authentication with NSURLCredential
- [x] HTTP Response Validation
- [x] Progress Closure & NSProgress
- [x] cURL Debug Output
- [x] Comprehensive Unit Test Coverage
- [x] Complete Documentation

## Requirements

- iOS 7.0+ / Mac OS X 10.9+
- Xcode 6.0

> For Xcode 6.1, use [the `xcode-6.1` branch](https://github.com/Alamofire/Alamofire/tree/xcode-6.1).

## Communication

- If you **need help**, use [Stack Overflow](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/alamofire). (Tag 'alamofire')
- If you'd like to **ask a general question**, use [Stack Overflow](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/alamofire).
- If you **found a bug**, open an issue.
- If you **have a feature request**, open an issue.
- If you **want to contribute**, submit a pull request.

## Installation

_Due to the current lack of [proper infrastructure](http://cocoapods.org) for Swift dependency management, using Alamofire in your project requires the following steps:_

1. Add Alamofire as a [submodule](http://git-scm.com/docs/git-submodule) by opening the Terminal, `cd`-ing into your top-level project directory, and entering the command `git submodule add https://github.com/Alamofire/Alamofire.git`
2. Open the `Alamofire` folder, and drag `Alamofire.xcodeproj` into the file navigator of your Xcode project.
3. In Xcode, navigate to the target configuration window by clicking on the blue project icon, and selecting the application target under the "Targets" heading in the sidebar.
4. In the tab bar at the top of that window, open the "Build Phases" panel.
5. Expand the "Link Binary with Libraries" group, and add `Alamofire.framework`.
6. Click on the `+` button at the top left of the panel and select "New Copy Files Phase". Rename this new phase to "Copy Frameworks", set the "Destination" to "Frameworks", and add `Alamofire.framework`.

---

## Usage

### Making a Request

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get")
```

### Response Handling

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get", parameters: ["foo": "bar"])
         .response { (request, response, data, error) in
                     println(request)
                     println(response)
                     println(error)
                   }
```

> Networking in Alamofire is done _asynchronously_. Asynchronous programming may be a source of frustration to programmers unfamiliar with the concept, but there are [very good reasons](https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/qa/qa1693/_index.html) for doing it this way.

> Rather than blocking execution to wait for a response from the server, a [callback](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callback_%28computer_programming%29) is specified to handle the response once it's received. The result of a request is only available inside the scope of a response handler. Any execution contingent on the response or data received from the server must be done within a handler.

### Response Serialization

**Built-in Response Methods**

- `response()`
- `responseString(encoding: NSStringEncoding)`
- `responseJSON(options: NSJSONReadingOptions)`
- `responsePropertyList(options: NSPropertyListReadOptions)`

####  Response String Handler

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get")
         .responseString { (_, _, string, _) in
                  println(string)
         }
```

####  Response JSON Handler

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get")
         .responseJSON { (_, _, JSON, _) in
                  println(JSON)
         }
```

#### Chained Response Handlers

Response handlers can even be chained:

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get")
         .responseString { (_, _, string, _) in
                  println(string)
         }
         .responseJSON { (_, _, JSON, _) in
                  println(JSON)
         }
```

### HTTP Methods

`Alamofire.Method` lists the HTTP methods defined in [RFC 7231 §4.3](http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-4.3):

```swift
public enum Method: String {
    case OPTIONS = "OPTIONS"
    case GET = "GET"
    case HEAD = "HEAD"
    case POST = "POST"
    case PUT = "PUT"
    case PATCH = "PATCH"
    case DELETE = "DELETE"
    case TRACE = "TRACE"
    case CONNECT = "CONNECT"
}
```

These values can be passed as the first argument of the `Alamofire.request` method:

```swift
Alamofire.request(.POST, "http://httpbin.org/post")

Alamofire.request(.PUT, "http://httpbin.org/put")

Alamofire.request(.DELETE, "http://httpbin.org/delete")
```

### Parameters

#### GET Request With URL-Encoded Parameters

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get", parameters: ["foo": "bar"])
// http://httpbin.org/get?foo=bar
```

#### POST Request With URL-Encoded Parameters

```swift
let parameters = [
    "foo": "bar",
    "baz": ["a", 1],
    "qux": [
        "x": 1,
        "y": 2,
        "z": 3
    ]
]

Alamofire.request(.POST, "http://httpbin.org/post", parameters: parameters)
// HTTP body: foo=bar&baz[]=a&baz[]=1&qux[x]=1&qux[y]=2&qux[z]=3
```

### Parameter Encoding

Parameters can also be encoded as JSON, Property List, or any custom format, using the `ParameterEncoding` enum:

```swift
enum ParameterEncoding {
    case URL
    case JSON
    case PropertyList(format: NSPropertyListFormat,
                      options: NSPropertyListWriteOptions)

    func encode(request: NSURLRequest,
                parameters: [String: AnyObject]?) ->
                    (NSURLRequest, NSError?)
    { ... }
}
```

- `URL`: A query string to be set as or appended to any existing URL query for `GET`, `HEAD`, and `DELETE` requests, or set as the body for requests with any other HTTP method. The `Content-Type` HTTP header field of an encoded request with HTTP body is set to `application/x-www-form-urlencoded`. _Since there is no published specification for how to encode collection types, the convention of appending `[]` to the key for array values (`foo[]=1&foo[]=2`), and appending the key surrounded by square brackets for nested dictionary values (`foo[bar]=baz`)._
- `JSON`: Uses `NSJSONSerialization` to create a JSON representation of the parameters object, which is set as the body of the request. The `Content-Type` HTTP header field of an encoded request is set to `application/json`.
- `PropertyList`: Uses `NSPropertyListSerialization` to create a plist representation of the parameters object, according to the associated format and write options values, which is set as the body of the request. The `Content-Type` HTTP header field of an encoded request is set to `application/x-plist`.
- `Custom`: Uses the associated closure value to construct a new request given an existing request and parameters.

#### Manual Parameter Encoding of an NSURLRequest

```swift
let URL = NSURL(string: "http://httpbin.org/get")
var request = NSURLRequest(URL: URL)

let parameters = ["foo": "bar"]
let encoding = Alamofire.ParameterEncoding.URL
(request, _) = encoding.encode(request, parameters)
```

#### POST Request with JSON-encoded Parameters

```swift
let parameters = [
    "foo": [1,2,3],
    "bar": [
        "baz": "qux"
    ]
]

Alamofire.request(.POST, "http://httpbin.org/post", parameters: parameters, encoding: .JSON)
// HTTP body: {"foo": [1, 2, 3], "bar": {"baz": "qux"}}
```

### Caching

Caching is handled on the system framework level by [`NSURLCache`](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/Classes/NSURLCache_Class/Reference/Reference.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/NSURLCache).

### Uploading

**Supported Upload Types**

- File
- Data
- Stream

#### Uploading a File

```swift
let fileURL = NSBundle.mainBundle()
                      .URLForResource("Default",
                                      withExtension: "png")

Alamofire.upload(.POST, "http://httpbin.org/post", file: fileURL)
```

#### Uploading w/Progress

```swift
Alamofire.upload(.POST, "http://httpbin.org/post", file: fileURL)
         .progress { (bytesWritten, totalBytesWritten, totalBytesExpectedToWrite) in
             println(totalBytesWritten)
         }
         .responseJSON { (request, response, JSON, error) in
             println(JSON)
         }
```

### Downloading

**Supported Download Types**

- Request
- Resume Data

#### Downloading a File

```swift
Alamofire.download(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/stream/100", destination: { (temporaryURL, response) in
    if let directoryURL = NSFileManager.defaultManager()
                          .URLsForDirectory(.DocumentDirectory,
                                            inDomains: .UserDomainMask)[0]
                          as? NSURL {
        let pathComponent = response.suggestedFilename

        return directoryURL.URLByAppendingPathComponent(pathComponent!)
    }

    return temporaryURL
})
```

#### Using the Default Download Destination

```swift
let destination = Alamofire.Request.suggestedDownloadDestination(directory: .DocumentDirectory, domain: .UserDomainMask)

Alamofire.download(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/stream/100", destination: destination)
```

#### Downloading a File w/Progress

```swift
Alamofire.download(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/stream/100", destination: destination)
         .progress { (bytesRead, totalBytesRead, totalBytesExpectedToRead) in
             println(totalBytesRead)
         }
         .response { (request, response, _, error) in
             println(response)
         }
```

### Authentication

Authentication is handled on the system framework level by [`NSURLCredential` and `NSURLAuthenticationChallenge`](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/Classes/NSURLAuthenticationChallenge_Class/Reference/Reference.html).

**Supported Authentication Schemes**

- [HTTP Basic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_access_authentication)
- [HTTP Digest](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digest_access_authentication)
- [Kerberos](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerberos_%28protocol%29)
- [NTLM](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NT_LAN_Manager)

#### HTTP Basic Authentication

```swift
let user = "user"
let password = "password"

Alamofire.request(.GET, "https://httpbin.org/basic-auth/\(user)/\(password)")
         .authenticate(user: user, password: password)
         .response {(request, response, _, error) in
             println(response)
         }
```

#### Authentication with NSURLCredential

```swift
let user = "user"
let password = "password"

let credential = NSURLCredential(user: user, password: password, persistence: .ForSession)

Alamofire.request(.GET, "https://httpbin.org/basic-auth/\(user)/\(password)")
         .authenticate(usingCredential: credential)
         .response {(request, response, _, error) in
             println(response)
         }
```

### Validation

By default, Alamofire treats any completed request to be successful, regardless of the content of the response. Calling `validate` before a response handler causes an error to be generated if the response had an unacceptable status code or MIME type.

#### Manual Validation

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get", parameters: ["foo": "bar"])
         .validate(statusCode: 200..<300)
         .validate(contentType: ["application/json"])
         .response { (_, _, _, error) in
                  println(error)
         }
```

#### Automatic Validation

Automatically validates status code within `200...299` range, and that the `Content-Type` header of the response matches the `Accept` header of the request, if one is provided.

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get", parameters: ["foo": "bar"])
         .validate()
         .response { (_, _, _, error) in
                  println(error)
         }
```

### Printable

```swift
let request = Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/ip")

println(request)
// GET http://httpbin.org/ip (200)
```

### DebugPrintable

```swift
let request = Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get", parameters: ["foo": "bar"])

debugPrintln(request)
```

#### Output (cURL)

```
$ curl -i \
	-H "User-Agent: Alamofire" \
	-H "Accept-Encoding: Accept-Encoding: gzip;q=1.0,compress;q=0.5" \
	-H "Accept-Language: en;q=1.0,fr;q=0.9,de;q=0.8,zh-Hans;q=0.7,zh-Hant;q=0.6,ja;q=0.5" \
	"http://httpbin.org/get?foo=bar"
```

---

## Advanced Usage

> Alamofire is built on `NSURLSession` and the Foundation URL Loading System. To make the most of
this framework, it is recommended that you be familiar with the concepts and capabilities of the underlying networking stack.

**Recommended Reading**

- [URL Loading System Programming Guide](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/URLLoadingSystem/URLLoadingSystem.html)
- [NSURLSession Class Reference](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Foundation/Reference/NSURLSession_class/Introduction/Introduction.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/NSURLSession)
- [NSURLCache Class Reference](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/Classes/NSURLCache_Class/Reference/Reference.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/NSURLCache)
- [NSURLAuthenticationChallenge Class Reference](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/Classes/NSURLAuthenticationChallenge_Class/Reference/Reference.html)

### Manager

Top-level convenience methods like `Alamofire.request` use a shared instance of `Alamofire.Manager`, which is configured with the default `NSURLSessionConfiguration`.

As such, the following two statements are equivalent:

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://httpbin.org/get")
```

```swift
let manager = Alamofire.Manager.sharedInstance
manager.request(NSURLRequest(URL: NSURL(string: "http://httpbin.org/get")))
```

Applications can create managers for background and ephemeral sessions, as well as new managers that customize the default session configuration, such as for default headers (`HTTPAdditionalHeaders`) or timeout interval (`timeoutIntervalForRequest`).

#### Creating a Manager with Default Configuration

```swift
let configuration = NSURLSessionConfiguration.defaultSessionConfiguration()
let manager = Alamofire.Manager(configuration: configuration)
```

#### Creating a Manager with Background Configuration

```swift
let configuration = NSURLSessionConfiguration.backgroundSessionConfiguration("com.example.app.background")
let manager = Alamofire.Manager(configuration: configuration)
```

#### Creating a Manager with Ephemeral Configuration

```swift
let configuration = NSURLSessionConfiguration.ephemeralSessionConfiguration()
let manager = Alamofire.Manager(configuration: configuration)
```

#### Modifying Session Configuration

```swift
var defaultHeaders = Alamofire.Manager.sharedInstance.session.configuration.HTTPAdditionalHeaders ?? [:]
defaultHeaders["DNT"] = "1 (Do Not Track Enabled)"

let configuration = NSURLSessionConfiguration.defaultSessionConfiguration()
configuration.HTTPAdditionalHeaders = defaultHeaders

let manager = Alamofire.Manager(configuration: configuration)
```

> This is **not** recommended for `Authorization` or `Content-Type` headers. Instead, use `URLRequestConvertible` and `ParameterEncoding`, respectively.

### Request

The result of a `request`, `upload`, or `download` method is an instance of `Alamofire.Request`. A request is always created using a constructor method from an owning manager, and never initialized directly.

Methods like `authenticate`, `validate`, and `response` return the caller in order to facilitate chaining.

Requests can be suspended, resumed, and cancelled:

- `suspend()`: Suspends the underlying task and dispatch queue
- `resume()`: Resumes the underlying task and dispatch queue. If the owning manager does not have `startRequestsImmediately` set to `true`, the request must call `resume()` in order to start.
- `cancel()`: Cancels the underlying task, producing an error that is passed to any registered response handlers.

### Response Serialization

#### Creating a Custom Response Serializer

Alamofire provides built-in response serialization for strings, JSON, and property lists, but others can be added in extensions on `Alamofire.Request`.

For example, here's how a response handler using [Ono](https://github.com/mattt/Ono) might be implemented:

```swift
extension Request {
    class func XMLResponseSerializer() -> Serializer {
        return { (request, response, data) in
            if data == nil {
                return (nil, nil)
            }

            var XMLSerializationError: NSError?
            let XML = ONOXMLDocument.XMLDocumentWithData(data, &XMLSerializationError)

            return (XML, XMLSerializationError)
        }
    }

    func responseXMLDocument(completionHandler: (NSURLRequest, NSHTTPURLResponse?, OnoXMLDocument?, NSError?) -> Void) -> Self {
        return response(serializer: Request.XMLResponseSerializer(), completionHandler: { (request, response, XML, error) in
            completionHandler(request, response, XML, error)
        })
    }
}
```

#### Generic Response Object Serialization

Generics can be used to provide automatic, type-safe response object serialization.

```swift
@objc public protocol ResponseObjectSerializable {
    init(response: NSHTTPURLResponse, representation: AnyObject)
}

extension Alamofire.Request {
    public func responseObject<T: ResponseObjectSerializable>(completionHandler: (NSURLRequest, NSHTTPURLResponse?, T?, NSError?) -> Void) -> Self {
        let serializer: Serializer = { (request, response, data) in
            let JSONSerializer = Request.JSONResponseSerializer(options: .AllowFragments)
            let (JSON: AnyObject?, serializationError) = JSONSerializer(request, response, data)
            if response != nil && JSON != nil {
                return (T(response: response!, representation: JSON!), nil)
            } else {
                return (nil, serializationError)
            }
        }

        return response(serializer: serializer, completionHandler: { (request, response, object, error) in
            completionHandler(request, response, object as? T, error)
        })
    }
}
```

```swift
class User: ResponseObjectSerializable {
    let username: String
    let name: String

    required init(response: NSHTTPURLResponse, representation: AnyObject) {
        self.username = response.URL!.lastPathComponent
        self.name = representation.valueForKeyPath("name") as String
    }
}
```

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, "http://example.com/users/mattt")
         .responseObject { (_, _, user: User?, _) in
             println(user)
         }
```

The same approach can also be used to handle endpoints that return a representation of a collection of objects:

```swift
@objc public protocol ResponseCollectionSerializable {
    class func collection(#response: NSHTTPURLResponse, representation: AnyObject) -> [Self]
}

extension Alamofire.Request {
    public func responseCollection<T: ResponseCollectionSerializable>(completionHandler: (NSURLRequest, NSHTTPURLResponse?, [T]?, NSError?) -> Void) -> Self {
        let serializer: Serializer = { (request, response, data) in
            let JSONSerializer = Request.JSONResponseSerializer(options: .AllowFragments)
            let (JSON: AnyObject?, serializationError) = JSONSerializer(request, response, data)
            if response != nil && JSON != nil {
                return (T.collection(response: response!, representation: JSON!), nil)
            } else {
                return (nil, serializationError)
            }
        }

        return response(serializer: serializer, completionHandler: { (request, response, object, error) in
            completionHandler(request, response, object as? [T], error)
        })
    }
}
```

### URLStringConvertible

Types adopting the `URLStringConvertible` protocol can be used to construct URL strings, which are then used to construct URL requests. Top-level convenience methods taking a `URLStringConvertible` argument are provided to allow for type-safe routing behavior.

Applications interacting with web applications in a significant manner are encouraged to adopt either `URLStringConvertible` or `URLRequestConvertible` as a way to ensure consistency of requested endpoints.

#### Type-Safe Routing

```swift
enum Router: URLStringConvertible {
    static let baseURLString = "http://example.com"

    case Root
    case User(String)
    case Post(Int, Int, String)

    // MARK: URLStringConvertible

    var URLString: String {
        let path: String = {
            switch self {
            case .Root:
                return "/"
            case .User(let username):
                return "/users/\(username)"
            case .Post(let year, let month, let title):
                let slug = title.stringByReplacingOccurrencesOfString(" ", withString: "-").lowercaseString
                return "/\(year)/\(month)/\(slug)"
            }
        }()

        return Router.baseURLString + path
    }
}
```

```swift
Alamofire.request(.GET, Router.User("mattt"))
```

### URLRequestConvertible

Types adopting the `URLRequestConvertible` protocol can be used to construct URL requests. Like `URLStringConvertible`, this is recommended for applications with any significant interactions between client and server.

Top-level and instance methods on `Manager` taking `URLRequestConvertible` arguments are provided as a way to provide type-safe routing. Such an approach can be used to abstract away server-side inconsistencies, as well as manage authentication credentials and other state.

#### API Parameter Abstraction

```swift
enum Router: URLRequestConvertible {
    static let baseURLString = "http://example.com"
    static let perPage = 50

    case Search(query: String, page: Int)

    // MARK: URLRequestConvertible

    var URLRequest: NSURLRequest {
        let (path: String, parameters: [String: AnyObject]?) = {
            switch self {
            case .Search(let query, let page) where page > 1:
                return ("/search", ["q": query, "offset": Router.perPage * page])
            case .Search(let query, _):
                return ("/search", ["q": query])
            }
        }()

        let URL = NSURL(string: Router.baseURLString)
        let URLRequest = NSURLRequest(URL: URL.URLByAppendingPathComponent(path))
        let encoding = Alamofire.ParameterEncoding.URL

        return encoding.encode(URLRequest, parameters: parameters).0
    }
}
```

```swift
Alamofire.request(Router.Search(query: "foo bar", page: 1)) // ?q=foo+bar&offset=50
```

#### CRUD & Authorization

```swift
enum Router: URLRequestConvertible {
    static let baseURLString = "http://example.com"
    static var OAuthToken: String?

    case CreateUser([String: AnyObject])
    case ReadUser(String)
    case UpdateUser(String, [String: AnyObject])
    case DestroyUser(String)

    var method: Alamofire.Method {
        switch self {
        case .CreateUser:
            return .POST
        case .ReadUser:
            return .GET
        case .UpdateUser:
            return .PUT
        case .DestroyUser:
            return .DELETE
        }
    }

    var path: String {
        switch self {
        case .CreateUser:
            return "/users"
        case .ReadUser(let username):
            return "/users/\(username)"
        case .UpdateUser(let username, _):
            return "/users/\(username)"
        case .DestroyUser(let username):
            return "/users/\(username)"
        }
    }

    // MARK: URLRequestConvertible

    var URLRequest: NSURLRequest {
        let URL = NSURL(string: Router.baseURLString)
        let mutableURLRequest = NSMutableURLRequest(URL: URL.URLByAppendingPathComponent(path))
        mutableURLRequest.HTTPMethod = method.toRaw()

        if let token = Router.OAuthToken {
            mutableURLRequest.setValue("Bearer \(token)", forHTTPHeaderField: "Authorization")
        }

        switch self {
        case .CreateUser(let parameters):
            return Alamofire.ParameterEncoding.JSON.encode(mutableURLRequest, parameters: parameters).0
        case .UpdateUser(_, let parameters):
            return Alamofire.ParameterEncoding.URL.encode(mutableURLRequest, parameters: parameters).0
        default:
            return mutableURLRequest
        }
    }
}
```

```swift
Alamofire.request(Router.ReadUser("mattt")) // GET /users/mattt
```

* * *

## FAQ

### When should I use Alamofire?

If you're starting a new project in Swift, and want to take full advantage of its conventions and language features, Alamofire is a great choice. Although not as fully-featured as AFNetworking, Alamofire is much nicer to work with, and should satisfy the vast majority of networking use cases.

> It's important to note that two libraries aren't mutually exclusive: AFNetworking and Alamofire can peacefully exist in the same code base.

### When should I use AFNetworking?

AFNetworking remains the premiere networking library available for OS X and iOS, and can easily be used in Swift, just like any other Objective-C code. AFNetworking is stable and reliable, and isn't going anywhere.

Use AFNetworking for any of the following:

- UIKit extensions, such as asynchronously loading images to `UIImageView`
- TLS verification, using `AFSecurityManager`
- Situations requiring `NSOperation` or `NSURLConnection`, using `AFURLConnectionOperation`
- Network reachability monitoring, using `AFNetworkReachabilityManager`
- Multipart HTTP request construction, using `AFHTTPRequestSerializer`

### What's the origin of the name Alamofire?

Alamofire is named after the [Alamo Fire flower](https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/alamofire.html), a hybrid variant of the Bluebonnet, the official state flower of Texas.

* * *

## Contact

Follow AFNetworking on Twitter ([@AFNetworking](https://twitter.com/AFNetworking))

### Creator

- [Mattt Thompson](http://github.com/mattt) ([@mattt](https://twitter.com/mattt))

## License

Alamofire is released under the MIT license. See LICENSE for details.