How to Handle SwiftUI Version Compatibility Without Duplicating View Code

SwiftUI evolves rapidly with each WWDC, introducing new APIs and modifiers that are often restricted to newer iOS versions, creating compatibility challenges for developers supporting older devices. Swift's built-in availability checks like if #available work well in standard code but cannot be inserted mid-chain in SwiftUI's modifier syntax, since each modifier forms part of a single continuous expression. Attempting to break the chain with a conditional statement causes a compiler error, which leads many developers to duplicate entire views — an approach that becomes hard to maintain as the UI grows. A cleaner solution involves writing a small View extension with an applying helper that wraps the view in a closure, allowing conditional logic to be applied without interrupting the modifier chain. This approach keeps view code readable and centralises compatibility handling, making it easier to remove legacy branches once older iOS support is eventually dropped.