Improve channel list rendering performance

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 ### ⚡️ Performance
 - Fix the channel list rebuilding on every scroll tick after returning from a channel [#1525](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1525)
-
-### 🔄 Changed
+- Render channel list dividers as row overlays instead of sibling views [#1529](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1529)
+- Reduce SDK size by 2.5 MB [#1529](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1529)
 
 # [5.6.0](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/releases/tag/5.6.0)
 _July 03, 2026_

Package.swift

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ let package = Package(
         )
     ],
     dependencies: [
-        .package(url: "https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swift.git", from: "5.6.0")
+        .package(url: "https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swift.git", branch: "perf/channel-list-performance-improvements")
     ],
     targets: [
         .target(

Sources/StreamChatSwiftUI/ChatChannelList/ChatChannelList.swift

@@ -130,8 +130,13 @@ public struct ChannelsLazyVStack<Factory: ViewFactory>: View {
     }
 
     public var body: some View {
+        let shouldRenderLastItemDivider = utils.channelListConfig.showChannelListDividerOnLastItem
+
         LazyVStack(spacing: 0) {
             ForEach(channels) { channel in
+                let isLastItem = channel.cid == channels.last?.cid
+                let showsDivider = !isLastItem || (isLastItem && shouldRenderLastItemDivider)
+
                 factory.makeChannelListItem(
                     options: ChannelListItemOptions(
                         channel: channel,
@@ -152,19 +157,21 @@ public struct ChannelsLazyVStack<Factory: ViewFactory>: View {
                         isSelected: selectedChannel?.channel.id == channel.id
                     )
                 ))
+                .overlay(
+                    Group {
+                        if showsDivider {
+                            factory.makeChannelListDividerItem(options: ChannelListDividerItemOptions())
+                        }
+                    },
+                    alignment: .bottom
+                )
                 .onAppear {
                     if let index = channels.firstIndex(where: { chatChannel in
                         chatChannel.id == channel.id
                     }) {
                         onItemAppear(index)
                     }
                 }
-
-                let isLastItem = channels.last?.cid == channel.cid
-                let shouldRenderLastItemDivider = utils.channelListConfig.showChannelListDividerOnLastItem
-                if !isLastItem || (isLastItem && shouldRenderLastItemDivider) {
-                    factory.makeChannelListDividerItem(options: ChannelListDividerItemOptions())
-                }
             }
 
             factory.makeChannelListFooterView(options: ChannelListFooterViewOptions())

Sources/StreamChatSwiftUI/ChatChannelList/ChatChannelListViewModel.swift

@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ import UIKit
 
         if !loadingNextChannels {
             loadingNextChannels = true
-            controller?.loadNextChannels(limit: 30) { [weak self] _ in
+            controller?.loadNextChannels { [weak self] _ in
                 guard let self = self else { return }
                 self.loadingNextChannels = false
             }

StreamChatSwiftUI.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj

@@ -1531,8 +1531,8 @@
 			isa = XCRemoteSwiftPackageReference;
 			repositoryURL = "https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swift.git";
 			requirement = {
-				kind = upToNextMajorVersion;
-				minimumVersion = 5.6.0;
+				branch = "perf/channel-list-performance-improvements";
+				kind = branch;
 			};
 		};
 		E3A1C01A282BAC66002D1E26 /* XCRemoteSwiftPackageReference "sentry-cocoa" */ = {