Using Protocols in Swift:

A portrait painting style image of a pirate holding an iPhone.

by The Captain

on
April 15, 2023

Using Protocols in Swift:

Protocols are an important concept in object-oriented programming. They are used for defining a blueprint of properties, methods or requirements that a class, struct or enum has to implement. It's a way to enforce a certain behavior in a class, without actually defining the implementation details. This allows for greater flexibility and reusability of code.

Creating a Protocol:

To declare a protocol in Swift, use the keyword `protocol`, followed by the name of the protocol. Below is an example:
protocol Vehicle {
    var numberOfWheels: Int { get }
    func startEngine()
}
This protocol defines two requirements: `numberOfWheels`, which is an integer variable and `startEngine`, which is a function that takes no parameters and returns nothing. Any class, struct or enum that conforms to this protocol must implement these requirements.

Implementing a Protocol:

To conform to a protocol, a class, struct or enum must define all the requirements specified by the protocol. Below is an example of how to conform to the `Vehicle` protocol:
class Car: Vehicle {
    var numberOfWheels: Int = 4
    
    func startEngine() {
        print("Starting the car...")
    }
}
In this example, the `Car` class conforms to the `Vehicle` protocol by implementing the `numberOfWheels` variable and `startEngine()` function. The `numberOfWheels` variable is set to `4`, and the `startEngine()` function simply prints a message to the Console.

Using Protocols in Functions:

Protocols can also be used in functions to define the type of objects that can be passed as parameters. Below is an example:
func inspectVehicle(_ vehicle: Vehicle) {
    print("This vehicle has \(vehicle.numberOfWheels) wheels.")
    vehicle.startEngine()
}
This function takes a parameter of type `Vehicle`. Any object that conforms to the `Vehicle` protocol can be passed as an argument to this function. The function simply prints out the number of wheels and starts the engine of the vehicle.

Conclusion:

Protocols are an important feature of Swift, and are used to define a blueprint of properties, methods or requirements that a class, struct or enum has to implement. This allows for greater flexibility and reusability of code. To conform to a protocol, simply implement all the requirements specified by the protocol. Protocols can also be used in functions to define the type of objects that can be passed as parameters.