Swift 5.0 brings several new features such as ABI Stability and other functions. The latest version comes with updated package manager and compiler. Today, I will share some major features and other updates every mobile developer should know. Read: Why You Should Learn Swift Programming Language?
Swift 5: Important Features and Changes
1. ABI Stability
ABI stands for Application Binary Interface, a binary equivalent of an API. It aims to make future apps easier to build and a lot smaller in size. As you might know, most of the codes written in apps are already available as part of iOS, frameworks, and libraries. With ABI, a user won’t have to download all the application code. The app will just have to use the binary code already present and that’s it.
2. Integer Multiples With “isMultiple(of:)”
Swift 5 comes with a new function isMultiple(of:) for testing if a given integer is a multiple of another number. This function is free from redundancy and thus improves the readability of the code. Regardless to say, it’s now also discoverable by the auto-complete feature of XCode. Sample Usage:
3. Filter And Count With “count(where:)”
The problems with current collection functions such as map(:), reduce(:) and filter(_:) are — they make the code too verbose and wasteful. Even if we just want to count, we need to filter first, and this is where ‘count(where:) comes in. This function allows us to filter and count with just one function call. Sample Usage: Also Read: Android Development vs iOS Development: Which one is Better?
4. Package Manager Updates
Swift 5 brings a number of updates in Swift Package Manager. It includes target-specific build settings, customized deployment targets, dependency mirroring, etc. It now allows you to import libraries in a REPL using the run command without thinking about building an executable.
5. Other Language and Compiler Updates
Swift 5 comes with Exclusivity Enforcement by defaults. It allows exclusive access to memory for both debug and release builds. Swift 5 supports dynamic callable types and helps improve interoperability with languages like JavaScript, Python, and Ruby. Some other updates include Literal initialization via coercion, Identity key path, etc. Recommended: An Introduction to Functions in Swift Programming Language
Ending Words
Overall, Swift 5 comes with lightweight syntax and combines powerful type inference and pattern matching. If you’re impressed by the features of Swift 5 and looking for migration, there’s nothing to worry about. You can just use the XCode 10.2’s code migrator and it will handle the rest automatically. Swift 5 is compatible with Swift 4, Swift 4.1 and Swift 4.2. So, which features of Swift 5 you liked the most? Do let us know in the comments below.
