My first time using CoreData, I used apple docs and CoreData methods. It was difficult at first and a lot to learn to just have a database in iOS. So with my new app I went looking for a wrapper. What I found was MagicalRecord, which seems to have a lot of following. MagicalRecord makes CoreData act like ActiveRecord, by adding the needed methods with categories. If you have used web development frameworks before you know most of them connect with the database with an active record pattern.

Although it’s not entirely active record.

Get MagicalRecord here:
https://github.com/magicalpanda/MagicalRecord

Start with the installation docs here:
https://github.com/magicalpanda/MagicalRecord/blob/develop/Docs/Installation.md

And read the rest of the docs, up a level, here:
https://github.com/magicalpanda/MagicalRecord/tree/develop/Docs

Here’s a good the starter guide by Alexander Blunck here:
http://ablfx.com/blog/article/2
But you will need to read the actual docs.