Helios is an open-source framework that provides essential backend services for iOS apps, from data synchronization and user accounts to push notifications, in-app purchases, and passbook integration. It allows developers to get a client-server app up-and-running in just a few minutes, and seamlessly incorporate functionality as necessary.
Helios is designed for "mobile first" development. Build out great features on the device, and implement the server-side components as necessary. Pour all of your energy into crafting a great user experience, rather than getting mired down with the backend.
One great example of this philosophy in Helios is Core Data Synchronization. This allows you to use your existing Core Data model definition to automatically generate a REST webservice, which can be used to shuttle data between the server and client. No iCloud, no problem.
Helios also comes with a Web UI. Browse and search through all of your database records, push notification registrations, in-app purchases, and passbook passes. You can even send targeted push notifications right from the browser.
Verify Ruby Installation:
$ ruby -v
If you do not see
ruby 1.9.xprinted, we suggest installing RVM to manage Ruby versions.
Install Helios at the command prompt:
$ gem install helios
Create a new Helios application:
$ helios new myapp
Create a Postgres database at the command prompt:
$ createdb -h localhost myapp
Database credentials are read from the
.envfile generated by Helios, as the variableDATABASE_URL. By default, this will point to a database with the name of the generated app.
Change directory to myapp
$ cd myapp
Start the web server:
$ helios server
Go to http://localhost:5000/admin and you’ll see your app's Web UI
Read on for instructions on the following:
Built on the Rack webserver interface, Helios can be easily added into any existing Rails or Sinatra application as middleware. Or, if you're starting with a Helios application, you can build a new Rails or Sinatra application on top of it.
This means that you can develop your application using the tools and frameworks you love, and maintain flexibility with your architecture as your needs evolve.
gem 'helios'
require 'bundler'
Bundler.require
run Helios::Application.new do
service :data, model: 'path/to/DataModel.xcdatamodel'
service :push_notification, apn_certificate: 'path/to/apple_push_notification.pem', apn_environment: 'development'
service :in_app_purchase
service :passbook
end
To create a Rails app that uses Postgres as its database, pass the -d postgresql argument to the rails new command:
$ rails new APP_PATH -d postgresql
If you're adding Helios to an existing Rails project, be sure to specify a PostgreSQL database in config/database.yml and check that the pg gem is included in your Gemfile:
gem 'helios'
gem 'pg'
Helios can be run as Rails middleware by adding this to the configuration block in config/application.rb
config.middleware.use Helios::Application do
service :data, model: 'path/to/DataModel.xcdatamodel'
service :push_notification, apn_certificate: 'path/to/apple_push_notification.pem', apn_environment: 'development'
service :in_app_purchase
service :passbook
end
Each service in Helios can be enabled and configured separately:
data: Generates a REST webservice from a schema definition. Currently supports Core Data (.xcdatamodel) files.
Parameters
model: Path to the data model fileAssociated Classes
Each entity in the specified data model will have a Sequel::Model subclass created for it under the Rack::CoreData::Models namespace.
| GET /:resources | Get list of all of the specified resources |
| POST /:resources | Create a new instance of the specified resource |
| GET /:resources/:id | Get the specified resource instance |
| PUT /:resources/:id | Update the specified resource instance |
| DELETE /:resources/:id | Delete the specified resource instance |
push_notification: Adds iOS push notification registration / unregistration endpoints.
Associated Classes
Rack::PushNotification::Device| PUT /devices/:token | Register or update existing device for push notifications |
| DELETE /devices/:token | Unregister a device from receiving push notifications |
| POST /message | Send out a push notification to some devices |
in_app_purchase: Adds an endpoint for iOS in-app purchase receipt verification endpoints, as well one for returning product identifiers.
Associated Classes
Rack::InAppPurchase::ReceiptRack::InAppPurchase::Product| POST /receipts/verify | Decode the associated Base64-encoded receipt-data, recording the receipt data and verifying the information with Apple |
| GET /products/identifiers | Return an array of valid product identifiers |
passbook: Adds endpoints for the web service protocol for communicating with Passbook
Associated Classes
Rack::Passbook::PassRack::Passbook::Registration| GET /v1/passes/:passTypeIdentifier/:serialNumber | Get the Latest Version of a Pass |
| GET /v1/devices/:deviceLibraryIdentifier/registrations/:passTypeIdentifier[?passesUpdatedSince=tag] | Get the Serial Numbers for Passes Associated with a Device |
| POST /v1/devices/:deviceLibraryIdentifier/registrations/:passTypeIdentifier/:serialNumber | Register a Device to Receive Push Notifications for a Pass |
| DELETE /v1/devices/:deviceLibraryIdentifier/registrations/:passTypeIdentifier/:serialNumber | Unregister a Device |
Helios comes with a CLI to help create and manage your application. After you $ gem install helios, you'll have the helios binary available.
$ helios --help
helios
A command-line interface for building mobile infrastructures
Commands:
console Open IRB session with Helios environment
help Display global or [command] help documentation.
link Links a Core Data model
new Creates a new Helios project
server Start running Helios locally
The first step to using Helios is to create a new application. This can be done with the $ helios new command, which should be familiar if you've ever used Rails.
$ helios new --help
Usage: helios new path/to/app
The `helios new` command creates a new Helios application with a default
directory structure and configuration at the path you specify.
Options:
--skip-gemfile Don't create a Gemfile
-B, --skip-bundle Don't run bundle install
-G, --skip-git Don't create a git repository
--edge Setup the application with Gemfile pointing to Helios repository
-f, --force Overwrite files that already exist
-p, --pretend Run but do not make any changes
-s, --skip Skip files that already exist
In order to keep your data model and REST webservices in sync, you can link it to your helios application:
$ helios link path/to/DataModel.xcdatamodel
This creates a hard link between the data model file in your Xcode and Helios projects—any changes made to either file will affect both. The next time you start the server, Helios will automatically migrate the database to create tables and insert columns to accomodate any new entities or attributes.
To run Helios in development mode on localhost, run the server command:
$ helios server
Once you have registered a device and set up your certificate, try this:
$ curl -X POST -d 'payload={"aps": {"alert":"Blastoff!"}}' http://localhost:5000/message
You can start an IRB session with the runtime environment of the Helios application with the console command:
$ helios console
This command activates the services as configured by your Helios application, including any generated Core Data models. The rack module is automatically included on launch, allowing you to access everything more directly:
> Passbook::Passes.all # => [...]
Heroku is the easiest way to get your app up and running. For full instructions on how to get started, check out "Getting Started with Ruby on Heroku".
Once you've installed the Heroku Toolbelt, and have a Heroku account, enter the following commands from the project directory:
$ heroku create
$ git push heroku master
With AFIncrementalStore, you can integrate your Helios app directly into the Core Data stack. Whether it’s a fetch or save changes request, or fulfilling an attribute or relation fault, AFIncrementalStore handles all of the networking needed to read and write to and from the server.
See "Building an iOS App with AFIncrementalStore and the Core Data Buildpack" on the Heroku Dev Center for a comprehensive guide on how to use AFIncrementalStore with the Core Data buildpack. An article for Helios is forthcoming, but aside from deployment, the instructions are essentially unchanged.
With Orbiter you can integrate Push Notifications into your app easily.
- (void)application:(UIApplication *)application
didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken:(NSData *)deviceToken
{
NSURL *serverURL = [NSURL URLWithString:@"http://raging-notification-3556.herokuapp.com/"];
Orbiter *orbiter = [[Orbiter alloc] initWithBaseURL:serverURL credential:nil];
[orbiter registerDeviceToken:deviceToken withAlias:nil success:^(id responseObject) {
NSLog(@"Registration Success: %@", responseObject);
} failure:^(NSError *error) {
NSLog(@"Registration Error: %@", error);
}];
}
These instructions come from the APN on Rails project.
Once you have the certificate from Apple for your application, export your key and the apple certificate as p12 files. Here is a quick walkthrough on how to do this:
Export 2 items….cert.p12.Now covert the p12 file to a pem file:
$ openssl pkcs12 -in cert.p12 -out apple_push_notification.pem -nodes -clcerts
There's still a lot to do to make Helios even better. Here are some ideas that are at the top of the list:
Mattt Thompson
Helios is released under the MIT license.
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