Iterator design sample in Swift

This time I’ll deal with the iterator design sample. The sample is closely used within the Swift customary library, there are protocols that will provide you with assist if it is advisable to create an iterator, however actually: I’ve by no means carried out this sample immediately. 😅

The reality is that in all probability in 99% of the use circumstances you may by no means need to cope with this sample, as a result of there’s superb assist for iterators built-in immediately into Swift. At all times use sequences, arrays, dictionaries as an alternative of immediately implementing this sample, however it’s good to understand how issues are working beneath the hood, is not it? 🙃

What’s the iterator design sample?

Because the identify suggests, the sample allows you to iterate over a group of components. Right here is the definition from the gang of 4 e book:

Present a approach to entry the weather of an mixture object sequentially with out exposing its underlying illustration.

Lengthy story quick the iterator offers you an interface that can allow you to iterate over collections no matter how they’re carried out within the background. Here’s a fast instance of the idea above utilizing a string iterator.

import Basis

protocol StringIterator {
    func subsequent() -> String?
}

class ArrayStringIterator: StringIterator {

    personal let values: [String]
    personal var index: Int?

    init(_ values: [String]) {
        self.values = values
    }

    personal func nextIndex(for index: Int?) -> Int? {
        if let index = index, index < self.values.rely - 1 {
            return index + 1
        }
        if index == nil, !self.values.isEmpty {
            return 0
        }
        return nil
    }

    func subsequent() -> String? {
        if let index = self.nextIndex(for: self.index) {
            self.index = index
            return self.values[index]
        }
        return nil
    }
}


protocol Iterable {
    func makeIterator() -> StringIterator
}

class DataArray: Iterable {

    personal var dataSource: [String]

    init() {
        self.dataSource = ["🐶", "🐔", "🐵", "🦁", "🐯", "🐭", "🐱", "🐮", "🐷"]
    }

    func makeIterator() -> StringIterator {
        return ArrayStringIterator(self.dataSource)
    }
}

let information = DataArray()
let iterator = information.makeIterator()

whereas let subsequent = iterator.subsequent() {
    print(subsequent)
}

As you’ll be able to see there are two essential protocols and a extremely easy implementation for each of them. Our DataArray class now acts like an actual array, the underlying components may be iterated by means of utilizing a loop. Let’s ditch the idea and re-implement the instance from above through the use of actual Swift customary library parts. 😉

Customized sequences in Swift

Swift has a built-in sequence protocol that will help you creating iterators. Implementing your personal sequence in Swift is all about hiding your underlying information construction by making a customized iterator object. You simply need to retailer the present index and return your subsequent aspect in line with that every time the following perform will get referred to as. 😛

import Basis

struct Emojis: Sequence {
    let animals: [String]

    func makeIterator() -> EmojiIterator {
        return EmojiIterator(self.animals)
    }
}

struct EmojiIterator: IteratorProtocol {

    personal let values: [String]
    personal var index: Int?

    init(_ values: [String]) {
        self.values = values
    }

    personal func nextIndex(for index: Int?) -> Int? {
        if let index = index, index < self.values.rely - 1 {
            return index + 1
        }
        if index == nil, !self.values.isEmpty {
            return 0
        }
        return nil
    }

    mutating func subsequent() -> String? {
        if let index = self.nextIndex(for: self.index) {
            self.index = index
            return self.values[index]
        }
        return nil
    }
}

let emojis = Emojis(animals: ["🐶", "🐔", "🐵", "🦁", "🐯", "🐭", "🐱", "🐮", "🐷"])
for emoji in emojis {
    print(emoji)
}

So the Sequence protocol is a generic counterpart of our customized iterable protocol used within the first instance. The IteratorProtocol is considerably just like the string iterator protocol used earlier than, however extra Swift-ish and naturally extra generic.

So, that is nice. Lastly you understand how to create a customized sequence. Which is sweet if you would like to cover your information construction and supply a generic iterable interface. Think about what would occur when you have been about to begin utilizing a dictionary as an alternative of an array for storing named emojis with out an iterator that wraps them. 🤔

Now the factor is that there’s another tremendous helpful factor within the Swift customary library that I might like to speak about. That is proper, one abstraction stage up and right here we’re:

Customized collections in Swift

Collections are one step past sequences. Parts inside them may be accessed by way of subscript in addition they outline each a startIndex and an endIndex, plus particular person components of a group may be accessed a number of instances. Sounds good? 👍

Generally it may be helpful to create a customized assortment sort. For instance if you would like to get rid of optionally available values. Think about a categorized favourite mechanism, for each class you’d have an array of favorites, so that you’d need to cope with empty and non-existing circumstances. With a customized assortment you might disguise that additional code inside your customized information construction and supply a clear interface for the remainder of your app. 😍

class Favorites {

    typealias FavoriteType = [String: [String]]

    personal(set) var record: FavoriteType

    public static let shared = Favorites()

    personal init() {
        self.record = FavoriteType()
    }
}


extension Favorites: Assortment {

    typealias Index = FavoriteType.Index
    typealias Factor = FavoriteType.Factor

    var startIndex: Index {
        return self.record.startIndex
    }
    var endIndex: Index {
        return self.record.endIndex
    }

    subscript(index: Index) -> Iterator.Factor {
        return self.record[index]
    }

    func index(after i: Index) -> Index {
        return self.record.index(after: i)
    }
}

extension Favorites {

    subscript(index: String) -> [String] {
        return self.record[index] ?? []
    }

    func add(_ worth: String, class: String) {
        if var values = self.record[category] {
            guard !values.accommodates(worth) else {
                return
            }
            values.append(worth)
            self.record[category] = values
        }
        else {
            self.record[category] = [value]
        }
    }

    func take away(_ worth: String, class: String) {
        guard var values = self.record[category] else {
            return
        }
        values = values.filter { $0 == worth }

        if values.isEmpty {
            self.record.removeValue(forKey: class)
        }
        else {
            self.record[category] = values
        }
    }
}

Favorites.shared.add("apple", class: "fruits")
Favorites.shared.add("pear", class: "fruits")
Favorites.shared.add("apple", class: "fruits")

Favorites.shared["fruits"]

Favorites.shared.take away("apple", class: "fruits")
Favorites.shared.take away("pear", class: "fruits")
Favorites.shared.record

I do know, this can be a actually dumb instance, however it demonstrates why collections are extra superior in comparison with pure sequences. Additionally within the hyperlinks beneath there are nice demos of effectively written collections. Be happy to be taught extra about these tremendous protocols and customized information sorts hidden (not so deep) contained in the Swift customary library. 🤐