SwiftUI Image Optimization: Smart Resource Loading with Conditional Rendering

This pattern creates a robust image loading system that gracefully handles missing assets by checking if the named image exists before attempting to display it, falling back to a system image when the custom asset isn't available.

struct SmartImageView: View {
    let imageName: String
    let fallbackSystemImage: String
    
    var body: some View {
        Group {
            if let uiImage = UIImage(named: imageName) {
                Image(uiImage: uiImage)
                    .resizable()
            } else {
                Image(systemName: fallbackSystemImage)
                    .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
            }
        }
        .scaledToFit()
        .frame(maxWidth: 100, maxHeight: 100)
    }
}

// Usage
SmartImageView(
    imageName: "custom-logo",
    fallbackSystemImage: "photo.circle"
)

Why This is a Best Practice

Prevents runtime crashes from missing images, improves development workflow by showing fallbacks instead of blank spaces, and provides consistent UX even when assets are incomplete. The conditional rendering ensures your app remains stable across different build configurations and asset states.

struct SmartImageView: View {
    let imageName: String
    let fallbackSystemImage: String
    
    var body: some View {
        Group {
            if let uiImage = UIImage(named: imageName) {
                Image(uiImage: uiImage)
                    .resizable()
            } else {
                Image(systemName: fallbackSystemImage)
                    .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
            }
        }
        .scaledToFit()
        .frame(maxWidth: 100, maxHeight: 100)
    }
}

// Usage
SmartImageView(
    imageName: "custom-logo",
    fallbackSystemImage: "photo.circle"
)

Why This is a Best Practice

History

SwiftUI Image Optimization: Smart Resource Loading with Conditional Rendering

Why This is a Best Practice