App with min. deployment iOS16 crashes because of SwiftData

I have an app on the AppStore that targets iOS 16 and later. I would like to introduce support for SwiftData for devices running iOS 17 and later, while maintaining support for iOS 16.

Example code:

import Foundation
import SwiftData

@available(iOS 17, *)
@Model
class Person {
    var firstName: String
    var lastName: String
    
    init(firstName: String, lastName: String) {
        self.firstName = firstName
        self.lastName = lastName
    }
}

The app crashes because of @Model with the following error:

dyld[5910]: Library not loaded: /System/Library/Frameworks/SwiftData.framework/SwiftData

If I comment out @Model the app runs with no errors.

I cannot drop support for iOS 16, but I need to use SwiftData (not CoreData) and limit the functionality to iOS 17 devices.

The below does not work:

#if canImport(SwiftData)
import SwiftData
#endif 

I would've thought that at runtime when it reads "@available(iOS 17, *)" that it would not continue to what's after it since it's running on iOS 16.

You should make it optional to link SwiftData, in the build phases section of your app target. Add SwiftData.framework to the "Link Binary with Libraries" phase, and select "Optional" in the "Status" column,