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Summary: Structs

Paul Hudson    @twostraws   

Updated for Xcode 14.2

Structs are used almost everywhere in Swift: String, Int, Double, Array and even Bool are all implemented as structs, and now you can recognize that a function such as isMultiple(of:) is really a method belonging to Int.

Let’s recap what else we learned:

  • You can create your own structs by writing struct, giving it a name, then placing the struct’s code inside braces.
  • Structs can have variable and constants (known as properties) and functions (known as methods)
  • If a method tries to modify properties of its struct, you must mark it as mutating.
  • You can store properties in memory, or create computed properties that calculate a value every time they are accessed.
  • We can attach didSet and willSet property observers to properties inside a struct, which is helpful when we need to be sure that some code is always executed when the property changes.
  • Initializers are a bit like specialized functions, and Swift generates one for all structs using their property names.
  • You can create your own custom initializers if you want, but you must always make sure all properties in your struct have a value by the time the initializer finishes, and before you call any other methods.
  • We can use access to mark any properties and methods as being available or unavailable externally, as needed.
  • It’s possible to attach a property or methods directly to a struct, so you can use them without creating an instance of the struct.
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