MVVM in SwiftUI: Using view models without overengineering

This article explores the Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) pattern in SwiftUI, emphasizing a pragmatic approach: start without view models and introduce them when a view contains meaningful presentation logic or workflows that benefit from separate testing. It explains the three layers (Model, View, ViewModel), their responsibilities, and how SwiftUI's built-in state management reduces the need for strict separation. The article includes a practical example of a contact deletion screen, showing how to define a domain model, a view model protocol, and a production implementation. It also touches on testing by using lightweight replacements for data layers. The author advises against overengineering, suggesting that local @State and environment values are sufficient for simple views. The content is technical, aimed at SwiftUI developers, and includes a promotional mention for RocketTrace (a tool for Xcode Instruments) but the article itself is not sponsored.