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npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill vercel-react-native-skillsWorks with Paperclip
How Contacts Framework fits into a Paperclip company.
Contacts Framework drops into any Paperclip agent that handles this kind of work. Assign it to a specialist inside a pre-configured PaperclipOrg company and the skill becomes available on every heartbeat — no prompt engineering, no tool wiring.
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---name: contacts-frameworkdescription: "Read, create, update, and pick contacts using the Contacts and ContactsUI frameworks. Use when fetching contact data, saving new contacts, wrapping CNContactPickerViewController in SwiftUI, handling contact permissions, or working with CNContactStore fetch and save requests."--- # Contacts Framework Fetch, create, update, and pick contacts from the user's Contacts database using`CNContactStore`, `CNSaveRequest`, and `CNContactPickerViewController`. TargetsSwift 6.3 / iOS 26+. ## Contents - [Setup](#setup)- [Authorization](#authorization)- [Fetching Contacts](#fetching-contacts)- [Key Descriptors](#key-descriptors)- [Creating and Updating Contacts](#creating-and-updating-contacts)- [Contact Picker](#contact-picker)- [Observing Changes](#observing-changes)- [Common Mistakes](#common-mistakes)- [Review Checklist](#review-checklist)- [References](#references) ## Setup ### Project Configuration 1. Add `NSContactsUsageDescription` to Info.plist explaining why the app accesses contacts2. No additional capability or entitlement is required for basic Contacts access3. For contact notes access, add the `com.apple.developer.contacts.notes` entitlement ### Imports ```swiftimport Contacts // CNContactStore, CNSaveRequest, CNContactimport ContactsUI // CNContactPickerViewController``` ## Authorization Request access before fetching or saving contacts. The picker (`CNContactPickerViewController`)does not require authorization -- the system grants access only to the contactsthe user selects. ```swiftlet store = CNContactStore() func requestAccess() async throws -> Bool { return try await store.requestAccess(for: .contacts)} // Check current status without promptingfunc checkStatus() -> CNAuthorizationStatus { CNContactStore.authorizationStatus(for: .contacts)}``` ### Authorization States | Status | Meaning ||---|---|| `.notDetermined` | User has not been prompted yet || `.authorized` | Full read/write access granted || `.denied` | User denied access; direct to Settings || `.restricted` | Parental controls or MDM restrict access || `.limited` | iOS 18+: user granted access to selected contacts only | ## Fetching Contacts Use `unifiedContacts(matching:keysToFetch:)` for predicate-based queries.Use `enumerateContacts(with:usingBlock:)` for batch enumeration of all contacts. ### Fetch by Name ```swiftfunc fetchContacts(named name: String) throws -> [CNContact] { let predicate = CNContact.predicateForContacts(matchingName: name) let keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [ CNContactGivenNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactFamilyNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactPhoneNumbersKey as CNKeyDescriptor ] return try store.unifiedContacts(matching: predicate, keysToFetch: keys)}``` ### Fetch by Identifier ```swiftfunc fetchContact(identifier: String) throws -> CNContact { let keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [ CNContactGivenNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactFamilyNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactEmailAddressesKey as CNKeyDescriptor ] return try store.unifiedContact(withIdentifier: identifier, keysToFetch: keys)}``` ### Enumerate All Contacts Perform I/O-heavy enumeration off the main thread. ```swiftfunc fetchAllContacts() throws -> [CNContact] { let keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [ CNContactGivenNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactFamilyNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor ] let request = CNContactFetchRequest(keysToFetch: keys) request.sortOrder = .givenName var contacts: [CNContact] = [] try store.enumerateContacts(with: request) { contact, _ in contacts.append(contact) } return contacts}``` ## Key Descriptors Only fetch the properties you need. Accessing an unfetched property throws`CNContactPropertyNotFetchedException`. ### Common Keys | Key | Property ||---|---|| `CNContactGivenNameKey` | First name || `CNContactFamilyNameKey` | Last name || `CNContactPhoneNumbersKey` | Phone numbers array || `CNContactEmailAddressesKey` | Email addresses array || `CNContactPostalAddressesKey` | Mailing addresses array || `CNContactImageDataKey` | Full-resolution contact photo || `CNContactThumbnailImageDataKey` | Thumbnail contact photo || `CNContactBirthdayKey` | Birthday date components || `CNContactOrganizationNameKey` | Company name | ### Composite Key Descriptors Use `CNContactFormatter.descriptorForRequiredKeys(for:)` to fetch all keys neededfor formatting a contact's name. ```swiftlet nameKeys = CNContactFormatter.descriptorForRequiredKeys(for: .fullName)let keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [nameKeys, CNContactPhoneNumbersKey as CNKeyDescriptor]``` ## Creating and Updating Contacts Use `CNMutableContact` to build new contacts and `CNSaveRequest` to persist changes. ### Creating a New Contact ```swiftfunc createContact(givenName: String, familyName: String, phone: String) throws { let contact = CNMutableContact() contact.givenName = givenName contact.familyName = familyName contact.phoneNumbers = [ CNLabeledValue( label: CNLabelPhoneNumberMobile, value: CNPhoneNumber(stringValue: phone) ) ] let saveRequest = CNSaveRequest() saveRequest.add(contact, toContainerWithIdentifier: nil) // nil = default container try store.execute(saveRequest)}``` ### Updating an Existing Contact You must fetch the contact with the properties you intend to modify, create amutable copy, change the properties, then save. ```swiftfunc updateContactEmail(identifier: String, email: String) throws { let keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [ CNContactEmailAddressesKey as CNKeyDescriptor ] let contact = try store.unifiedContact(withIdentifier: identifier, keysToFetch: keys) guard let mutable = contact.mutableCopy() as? CNMutableContact else { return } mutable.emailAddresses.append( CNLabeledValue(label: CNLabelWork, value: email as NSString) ) let saveRequest = CNSaveRequest() saveRequest.update(mutable) try store.execute(saveRequest)}``` ### Deleting a Contact ```swiftfunc deleteContact(identifier: String) throws { let keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [CNContactIdentifierKey as CNKeyDescriptor] let contact = try store.unifiedContact(withIdentifier: identifier, keysToFetch: keys) guard let mutable = contact.mutableCopy() as? CNMutableContact else { return } let saveRequest = CNSaveRequest() saveRequest.delete(mutable) try store.execute(saveRequest)}``` ## Contact Picker `CNContactPickerViewController` lets users pick contacts without granting fullContacts access. The app receives only the selected contact data. ### SwiftUI Wrapper ```swiftimport SwiftUIimport ContactsUI struct ContactPicker: UIViewControllerRepresentable { @Binding var selectedContact: CNContact? func makeUIViewController(context: Context) -> CNContactPickerViewController { let picker = CNContactPickerViewController() picker.delegate = context.coordinator return picker } func updateUIViewController(_ uiViewController: CNContactPickerViewController, context: Context) {} func makeCoordinator() -> Coordinator { Coordinator(self) } final class Coordinator: NSObject, CNContactPickerDelegate { let parent: ContactPicker init(_ parent: ContactPicker) { self.parent = parent } func contactPicker(_ picker: CNContactPickerViewController, didSelect contact: CNContact) { parent.selectedContact = contact } func contactPickerDidCancel(_ picker: CNContactPickerViewController) { parent.selectedContact = nil } }}``` ### Using the Picker ```swiftstruct ContactSelectionView: View { @State private var selectedContact: CNContact? @State private var showPicker = false var body: some View { VStack { if let contact = selectedContact { Text("\(contact.givenName) \(contact.familyName)") } Button("Select Contact") { showPicker = true } } .sheet(isPresented: $showPicker) { ContactPicker(selectedContact: $selectedContact) } }}``` ### Filtering the Picker Use predicates to control which contacts appear and what the user can select. ```swiftlet picker = CNContactPickerViewController()// Only show contacts that have an email addresspicker.predicateForEnablingContact = NSPredicate(format: "emailAddresses.@count > 0")// Selecting a contact returns it directly (no detail card)picker.predicateForSelectionOfContact = NSPredicate(value: true)``` ## Observing Changes Listen for external contact database changes to refresh cached data. ```swiftfunc observeContactChanges() { NotificationCenter.default.addObserver( forName: .CNContactStoreDidChange, object: nil, queue: .main ) { _ in // Refetch contacts -- cached CNContact objects are stale refreshContacts() }}``` ## Common Mistakes ### DON'T: Fetch all keys when you only need a name Over-fetching wastes memory and slows queries, especially for contacts withlarge photos. ```swift// WRONG: Fetches everything including full-resolution photoslet keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [CNContactCompleteNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactImageDataKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactPhoneNumbersKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactEmailAddressesKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactPostalAddressesKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactBirthdayKey as CNKeyDescriptor] // CORRECT: Fetch only what you displaylet keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [ CNContactGivenNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactFamilyNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor]``` ### DON'T: Access unfetched properties Accessing a property that was not in `keysToFetch` throws`CNContactPropertyNotFetchedException` at runtime. ```swift// WRONG: Only fetched name keys, now accessing phonelet keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [CNContactGivenNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor]let contact = try store.unifiedContact(withIdentifier: id, keysToFetch: keys)let phone = contact.phoneNumbers.first // CRASH // CORRECT: Include the key you needlet keys: [CNKeyDescriptor] = [ CNContactGivenNameKey as CNKeyDescriptor, CNContactPhoneNumbersKey as CNKeyDescriptor]``` ### DON'T: Mutate a CNContact directly `CNContact` is immutable. You must call `mutableCopy()` to get a `CNMutableContact`. ```swift// WRONG: CNContact has no setterlet contact = try store.unifiedContact(withIdentifier: id, keysToFetch: keys)contact.givenName = "New Name" // Compile error // CORRECT: Create mutable copyguard let mutable = contact.mutableCopy() as? CNMutableContact else { return }mutable.givenName = "New Name"``` ### DON'T: Skip authorization and assume access Without calling `requestAccess(for:)`, fetch methods return empty results or throw. ```swift// WRONG: Jump straight to fetchlet contacts = try store.unifiedContacts(matching: predicate, keysToFetch: keys) // CORRECT: Check or request access firstlet granted = try await store.requestAccess(for: .contacts)guard granted else { return }let contacts = try store.unifiedContacts(matching: predicate, keysToFetch: keys)``` ### DON'T: Run heavy fetches on the main thread `enumerateContacts` performs I/O. Running it on the main thread blocks the UI. ```swift// WRONG: Main thread enumerationfunc loadContacts() { try store.enumerateContacts(with: request) { contact, _ in ... }} // CORRECT: Run on a background threadfunc loadContacts() async throws -> [CNContact] { try await Task.detached { var results: [CNContact] = [] try store.enumerateContacts(with: request) { contact, _ in results.append(contact) } return results }.value}``` ## Review Checklist - [ ] `NSContactsUsageDescription` added to Info.plist- [ ] `requestAccess(for: .contacts)` called before fetch or save operations- [ ] Authorization denial handled gracefully (guide user to Settings)- [ ] Only needed `CNKeyDescriptor` keys included in fetch requests- [ ] `CNContactFormatter.descriptorForRequiredKeys(for:)` used when formatting names- [ ] Mutable copy created via `mutableCopy()` before modifying contacts- [ ] `CNSaveRequest` used for all create/update/delete operations- [ ] Heavy fetches (`enumerateContacts`) run off the main thread- [ ] `CNContactStoreDidChange` observed to refresh cached contacts- [ ] `CNContactPickerViewController` used when full Contacts access is unnecessary- [ ] Picker predicates set before presenting the picker view controller- [ ] Single `CNContactStore` instance reused across the app ## References - Extended patterns (multi-select picker, vCard export, search optimization): [references/contacts-patterns.md](references/contacts-patterns.md)- [Contacts framework](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contacts)- [CNContactStore](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contacts/cncontactstore)- [CNContactFetchRequest](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contacts/cncontactfetchrequest)- [CNSaveRequest](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contacts/cnsaverequest)- [CNMutableContact](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contacts/cnmutablecontact)- [CNContactPickerViewController](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contactsui/cncontactpickerviewcontroller)- [CNContactPickerDelegate](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contactsui/cncontactpickerdelegate)- [Accessing the contact store](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/contacts/accessing-the-contact-store)- [NSContactsUsageDescription](https://sosumi.ai/documentation/bundleresources/information-property-list/nscontactsusagedescription)