151 iOS interview questions answered

Contents

• Before you start
• Accessibility
• Data
• Design patterns
• Frameworks
• iOS
• Miscellaneous
• Performance
• Security
• Swift
• SwiftUI
• UIKit

Before you start

This was first published on my GitHub repo, but I consider this a good addition to the site. If you think that any of the answers can be improved, feel free to email me, or open an issue on the GitHub repo.

Questions taken from hackingwithswift.com and answered by me with the help of Swift Book, Hacking with Swift, StackOverflow and ChatGPT.

The difficulty of the questions is classified by these colours:

• 🟩 Beginner question
• 🟧 Intermediate question
• 🟥 Advanced question

Accessibility

• 🟩 How much experience do you have testing with VoiceOver?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with VoiceOver. Here is how I would approach it:

  I would say that I have a fair amount of experience testing with VoiceOver. It is an essential part of making sure that an iOS app is accessible to all users, including those who are visually impaired. To test with VoiceOver, the developer can enable VoiceOver on their test device and navigate through the app using only VoiceOver. This involves listening to the VoiceOver descriptions of each element on the screen and verifying that they are accurate and meaningful.

  For example, when testing a button, the developer would want to ensure that VoiceOver correctly reads out the label of the button and provides any necessary contextual information. They would also want to verify that the button is in the correct order in the navigation flow and that it can be activated using only voice commands.

  Testing with VoiceOver can be time-consuming, but it is an essential step in creating an accessible app. By testing with VoiceOver, developers can ensure that their app is easy to use for all users, regardless of their visual abilities.

• 🟩 How would you explain Dynamic Type to a new iOS developer?

  Answer

  Dynamic Type is a feature in iOS that allows users to adjust the font size of text displayed in apps. It gives users the ability to increase or decrease the size of the text to make it easier to read, and it also helps to ensure that text is legible for people with visual impairments.

  We can use Dynamic Type to make an app more accessible and user-friendly. Instead of specifying a fixed font size for the text, we can use Dynamic Type to allow the user's preferred text size to be applied throughout an app. We can do this by using font size constants that are tied to the user's preferred text size setting, such as UIFontTextStyleBody or UIFontTextStyleHeadline.

  By using Dynamic Type, we can make sure that an app's text is legible and comfortable to read for a wide range of users, including those who have difficulty reading small text or who prefer larger font sizes.

• 🟩 What are the main problems we need to solve when making accessible apps?

  Answer

  When making accessible apps, the main problems we need to solve are:

  • Providing sufficient visual and auditory cues: This includes ensuring that visual elements such as text, buttons, and icons are clear and easy to read, and that auditory elements such as sound effects and voiceovers are clear and easily distinguishable.
  • Supporting assistive technologies: This involves ensuring that our app is compatible with screen readers, such as VoiceOver, and other assistive technologies that people with disabilities may rely on to interact with their devices.
  • Providing alternative input methods: Some people may not be able to use a touchscreen, so it's important to provide alternative input methods such as voice commands or keyboard navigation.
  • Ensuring that our app is keyboard accessible: This means that all functionality within our app can be accessed using only the keyboard.
  • Providing sufficient color contrast: People with visual impairments may have difficulty distinguishing between certain colors, so it's important to ensure that our app provides sufficient color contrast for all text and visual elements.
  • Making sure that our app is usable for everyone: Accessibility is not just about accommodating people with disabilities, but also about ensuring that our app is usable for everyone, regardless of their abilities or limitations. This means designing our app with clear and intuitive navigation, simple and easy-to-use interfaces, and avoiding the use of complex or confusing gestures.

• 🟧 What accommodations have you added to apps to make them more accessible?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with adding accommodations to make apps more accessible. Here is how I would approach it:

  • Implementing Dynamic Type: This allows users to adjust the font size in the app to better suit their needs.
  • Providing alternative text for images: This allows users with visual impairments to understand the content of the app.
  • Using VoiceOver: This allows users to interact with the app using spoken feedback and gestures.
  • Adding closed captions: This allows users with hearing impairments to understand the audio content in the app.
  • Making sure the app is navigable with a keyboard: This allows users with motor impairments to use the app without a touchscreen.
  • Ensuring good color contrast: This allows users with visual impairments to distinguish between different elements in the app.

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Data

• 🟩 How is a dictionary different from an array?

  Answer

  In Swift, an array is an ordered collection of values of the same type, while a dictionary is an unordered collection of key-value pairs.

  In an array, each element is accessed by its index, which is an integer starting from zero. The order of the elements in the array is determined by their position in the array.

  In a dictionary, each value is associated with a unique key, which can be of any hashable type, such as a string or an integer. Keys are used to look up values in the dictionary, rather than indices. Unlike arrays, the order of the elements in a dictionary is not guaranteed.

  In summary, arrays are used when we have a collection of elements that we want to access in a specific order using an index, while dictionaries are used when we want to associate values with keys and look them up by those keys, without relying on any specific order of the elements.

• 🟩 What are the main differences between classes and structs in Swift?

  Answer

  In Swift, both classes and structs are used to define custom data types. While they share many similarities, there are some key differences between them:

  • Inheritance: A class can inherit from another class, but a struct cannot. This means that classes can build on the functionality of other classes, while structs are limited to their own implementation.
  • Reference vs Value Types: When we pass a class instance to a function or assign it to a new variable, we're creating a reference to that instance. This means that any changes made to the instance will be reflected across all references to it. On the other hand, when we pass a struct instance or assign it to a new variable, we're creating a copy of that instance. Any changes made to the copy will not affect the original instance. This can make structs more predictable and less prone to bugs, but also less flexible.
  • Mutability: In general, classes are more flexible and mutable than structs. We can add and remove properties and methods from a class at runtime, while a struct's properties and methods are fixed at compile time.
  • Initialization: Structs have member-wise initializers automatically generated for them by default, while classes do not. This means that when we create a new instance of a struct, we can pass in all of its properties as arguments to the initializer. With classes, we need to define our own initializer(s) to achieve the same effect.
  • Memory management: Classes are managed by reference counting, meaning that instances are deallocated when their reference count drops to zero. Structs, on the other hand, are copied by value, and their lifetimes are determined by the scope in which they're defined.

  In general, we should choose classes when we need the features they provide, such as inheritance or reference types, and choose structs when we want to take advantage of their predictability, immutability, and value semantics.

• 🟩 What are tuples and why are they useful?

  Answer

  In Swift, tuples are a lightweight way to group multiple values into a single compound value. A tuple can contain two or more values of any type, including other tuples. Tuples are useful when we want to pass around a single value that consists of multiple values, and we don't want to create a separate custom data structure.

  One of the primary benefits of tuples is that they allow us to group together a small number of related values in a concise and expressive way. For example, we could use a tuple to represent a point in two-dimensional space with an x-coordinate and y-coordinate. Instead of defining a custom class or struct to hold these two values, we can use a tuple with two elements, like this:

  let point = (x: 10, y: 20)

  Another use case for tuples is when we want to return multiple values from a function, but we don't want to define a custom data structure to hold those values. Tuples provide a lightweight and easy way to return multiple values as a single compound value. For example:

  func calculateMinMax(numbers: [Int]) -> (min: Int, max: Int)? {
      guard let first = numbers.first else {
          return nil
      }
   
      var min = first
      var max = first
   
      for number in numbers {
          if number < min {
              min = number
          } else if number > max {
              max = number
          }
      }
      return (min, max)
  }

  In this example, the calculateMinMax function returns a tuple with two values: the minimum and maximum values in an array of integers. The tuple is marked as optional, in case the input array is empty.

  Tuples are a useful tool for organizing related data, and they can simplify code in certain situations where a custom data structure would be overkill.

• 🟩 What does the Codable protocol do?

  Answer

  The Codable protocol is used in Swift to encode and decode data to and from a specific format, such as JSON or property list (plist). It is a type alias that combines the Encodable and Decodable protocols.

  By adopting the Codable protocol, a Swift type can be encoded to a binary or textual format that can be sent over a network or saved to disk, and then decoded back into a Swift object. This makes it easy to work with data from external sources such as web APIs, databases, and file systems.

  The Codable protocol provides a convenient and type-safe way to work with data. It eliminates the need to write custom serialization and deserialization code, which can be time-consuming and error-prone. Instead, the Swift compiler can automatically generate the necessary code based on the structure of the type being encoded or decoded.

• 🟩 What is the difference between an array and a set?

  Answer

  In Swift, an array is an ordered collection of values of the same type, whereas a set is an unordered collection of unique values of the same type.

  Here are some key differences between arrays and sets:

  • Order: Arrays have a specific order, and the elements in an array are accessed using their index, whereas sets are unordered, and the elements in a set are accessed using their value.
  • Duplicates: Arrays can contain duplicate values, whereas sets only contain unique values.
  • Performance: Sets are optimized for fast membership testing, which means that they are typically faster than arrays when checking whether an element exists in the collection. However, sets are typically slower than arrays when accessing elements by index.

  In general, we would use an array when we need to maintain the order of our elements or when we need to allow duplicates, and we would use a set when we need to ensure that our elements are unique or when we need to quickly test for membership.

• 🟩 What is the difference between the Float, Double, and CGFloat data types?

  Answer

  In Swift, Float and Double are floating-point data types used to represent decimal values with a limited and extended precision, respectively. The CGFloat data type is used in UIKit and Core Graphics frameworks, and it represents a floating-point value with a precision equivalent to the platform's native Float type on 32-bit platforms and Double type on 64-bit platforms.

  The main difference between Float and Double is their precision. Float has a precision of 32-bit, while Double has a precision of 64-bit. This means that Double can represent larger and more precise values than Float.

  On the other hand, CGFloat is a type alias defined by Apple that can represent floating-point values with the same precision as the platform's native Float or Double type. CGFloat is often used in Core Graphics and UIKit frameworks for graphics-related calculations and drawing operations.

• 🟩 What’s the importance of key decoding strategies when using Codable?

  Answer

  Key decoding strategies are important when using Codable because they allow us to map the keys of our JSON (or other data formats) to the Swift properties of our structs or classes. This is important because the keys of our JSON may not match the property names we want to use in our Swift code, or they may be in a different format.

  There are several key decoding strategies available in Swift, including:

  • useDefaultKeys: This strategy uses the property names as the keys in the JSON.
  • convertFromSnakeCase: This strategy converts keys in the JSON from snake_case to camelCase.
  • custom: This strategy allows us to define our own key mapping using a closure.

  Using the correct key decoding strategy is important because it ensures that our data is decoded correctly into our Swift objects, which can help prevent bugs and ensure that our app works as expected.

• 🟩 When using arrays, what’s the difference between map() and compactMap()?

  Answer

  Both map() and compactMap() are higher-order functions available for types that conform to the Sequence protocol in Swift (e.g., arrays and sets).

  The map() function takes a closure as its argument, applies the closure to each element of the array, and returns an array with the transformed elements.

  On the other hand, compactMap() also takes a closure as its argument and applies the closure to each element of the array. However, unlike map(), compactMap() returns an array with the transformed elements, but only if they are not nil. If the transformed element is nil, it is discarded from the returned array. Therefore, compactMap() is useful when we want to transform elements of an array that may have nil values and remove them from the result.

  Here's an example:

  let numbers = ["1", "2", "3", "four", "5"]
   
  // Using map() to convert the string numbers to integers
  let mapped = numbers.map { Int($0) } // [1, 2, 3, nil, 5]
   
  // Using compactMap() to convert the string numbers to integers and remove the nil value
  let compactMapped = numbers.compactMap { Int($0) } // [1, 2, 3, 5]

  In the example above, the map() function is used to convert each string element of the numbers array to an integer. However, since "four" cannot be converted to an integer, it is returned as nil. The resulting array from map() contains nil for the "four", so its type is [Int?]. On the other hand, compactMap() is used to convert each string element to an integer and remove the nil values. The resulting array from compactMap() only contains integers, so its type is [Int].

• 🟩 Why is immutability important?

  Answer

  Immutability is important for several reasons:

  • Avoiding unintended changes: When a variable or object is mutable, it can be changed at any time, leading to unintended changes that can cause bugs and errors. By making variables and objects immutable, we can avoid such unintended changes.
  • Thread safety: Immutable objects are inherently thread-safe, as they cannot be changed by multiple threads simultaneously. This can make concurrent programming much easier and less error-prone.
  • Clarity and simplicity: When objects are immutable, it is clear that their state cannot change, which can make code easier to reason about and understand. Immutability can also simplify certain algorithms and data structures, such as functional programming techniques.
  • Performance: In some cases, immutable data structures can be more performant than mutable ones. This is because they do not need to perform additional checks and operations to ensure their state is consistent.

  In summary, immutability can improve code safety, clarity, performance, and simplify concurrency, and is therefore an important concept in programming.

• 🟧 What are one-sided ranges and when would you use them?

  Answer

  One-sided ranges are a feature introduced in Swift 4 that allow us to create a range that includes all elements from a starting index or up to an ending index.

  The syntax for a one-sided range is either ..< or ..., with one of the operands omitted. The ..< operator creates a range that does not include the value of the right-hand operand, while the ... operator creates a range that includes the value of the right-hand operand.

  For example, if we have an array numbers with 5 elements, we can use a one-sided range to access a subset of the elements:

  let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
   
  // access elements from index 2 to the end
  let subset1 = numbers[2...]
  // subset1 is [3, 4, 5]
   
  // access elements up to index 3
  let subset2 = numbers[..<3]
  // subset2 is [1, 2, 3]

  One-sided ranges can be particularly useful when we don't know the length of the collection in advance or want to perform an operation on a portion of the collection without knowing its exact boundaries. They can also make code more concise and easier to read by avoiding the need for explicit range bounds.

• 🟧 What does it mean when we say “strings are collections in Swift”?

  Answer

  In Swift, a String is a collection type, which means that it can be treated as a sequence of individual elements, or characters, that can be iterated over using various methods, such as loops and higher-order functions like map, filter, and reduce. This is because, under the hood, a String is represented by a collection of Character values, each of which represents a single Unicode character.

  As a collection, a String has several useful properties and methods inherited from the Collection protocol, including count, isEmpty, and first, as well as subscripting using integer indices or ranges. Additionally, String also provides many specific methods for working with strings, such as hasPrefix, hasSuffix, and replacingOccurrences, which makes it easier to manipulate and transform string values in various ways.

• 🟧 What is a UUID, and when might you use it?

  Answer

  UUID stands for Universally Unique Identifier. It is a 128-bit value that is used to identify information in a unique way. UUIDs are used to identify unique objects, resources, or entities in a system or application.

  In Swift, the UUID class is used to generate UUIDs. We can use UUIDs in a variety of situations where we need a unique identifier, such as:

  • To identify objects or resources in a distributed system where multiple nodes need to access the same resource.
  • To create unique identifiers for user accounts or other entities in a database.
  • To generate unique filenames or file IDs in a file system.
  • To track application usage or events in analytics.
  • To prevent collisions when generating random numbers.

  UUIDs are important because they provide a way to create unique identifiers that are almost guaranteed to be unique. Even when generating a large number of UUIDs, the probability of generating two identical UUIDs is very low. This makes UUIDs useful in situations where uniqueness is important, such as distributed systems, databases, and file systems.

• 🟧 What's the difference between a value type and a reference type?

  Answer

  In Swift, value types are data types that are copied when they are assigned to a new variable or passed to a function, while reference types are not copied but are passed around as a reference to the same instance of the data.

  Value types in Swift include basic data types like Int, Double, Bool, and String, as well as more complex types such as structs and enums. When a value type is copied, it creates a new instance with the same data as the original, but any modifications to the copied instance do not affect the original instance.

  On the other hand, reference types include classes, functions, and closures. When a reference type is assigned to a new variable or passed to a function, it creates a new reference to the same instance of the data. Any modifications to the referenced instance will affect all references to that instance.

  Understanding the difference between value types and reference types is important for understanding how Swift handles memory management and can help avoid issues such as unintended side effects and memory leaks.

• 🟧 When would you use Swift’s Result type?

  Answer

  Swift’s Result type is useful when dealing with operations that can result in success or failure. It is a type that represents either a successful result or an error that occurred during an operation.

  Using Result can help improve the clarity of code, as it provides a clear separation between the successful and error paths. It also allows for more flexibility in handling errors, as the errors can be represented in any type that conforms to the Error protocol.

  For example, we might use Result when making a network request. The successful result would be the data received from the network request, while the failure result would be an error that occurred during the request (e.g. a timeout, network error, or invalid response). By using Result, we can handle the successful and failure cases separately, and provide appropriate feedback to the user.

• 🟥 What is type erasure and when would you use it?

  Answer

  Type erasure is a technique in Swift to abstract away the implementation details of a generic type. It is useful when we want to hide the complexity of a generic type by exposing a simpler, type-erased version of it.

  In Swift, we can use protocols with associated types to define generic types. However, when working with protocols, we cannot use them directly as a type because they have associated types that need to be specified. This can be problematic when we need to pass a generic type as a parameter or return type because the associated type is not known until runtime.

  Type erasure solves this problem by providing a way to create a type-erased wrapper around a generic type. This wrapper exposes a simplified, non-generic interface that can be used as a parameter or return type. Type erasure works by creating a concrete type that conforms to a protocol and hides the implementation details of the generic type.

  One common use case for type erasure is in the implementation of a type-erased collection. For example, we may have a collection that is defined as an array of a protocol with an associated type, but you want to be able to use it in a generic context without specifying the associated type. In this case, you could use a type-erased wrapper around the collection that exposes a non-generic interface.

  Another common use case for type erasure is in the implementation of a dependency injection framework. In this case, we may want to create a type-erased wrapper around a protocol that defines the dependencies needed by a component. The wrapper can then be used to inject the dependencies without exposing the implementation details of the protocol.

  Here's an example:

  protocol Drawable {
      func draw(in context: CGContext)
  }
   
  struct Circle: Drawable {
      let radius: CGFloat
      
      func draw(in context: CGContext) {
          let rect = CGRect(x: -radius, y: -radius, width: 2 * radius, height: 2 * radius)
          context.addEllipse(in: rect)
          context.drawPath(using: .stroke)
      }
  }
   
  struct Square: Drawable {
      let size: CGFloat
      
      func draw(in context: CGContext) {
          let rect = CGRect(x: -size / 2, y: -size / 2, width: size, height: size)
          context.addRect(rect)
          context.drawPath(using: .stroke)
      }
  }
   
  class DrawableWrapper {
      private let drawFunction: (CGContext) -> Void
      
      init<T: Drawable>(_ drawable: T) {
          self.drawFunction = { context in
              let drawing = drawable as Drawable
              drawing.draw(in: context)
          }
      }
      
      func draw(in context: CGContext) {
          drawFunction(context)
      }
  }
   
  let circle = Circle(radius: 50)
  let square = Square(size: 100)
   
  let circleWrapper = DrawableWrapper(circle)
  let squareWrapper = DrawableWrapper(square)
   
  let context = CGContext(data: nil, width: 200, height: 200, bitsPerComponent: 8, bytesPerRow: 0, space: CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB(), bitmapInfo: CGImageAlphaInfo.premultipliedLast.rawValue)!
  context.translateBy(x: 100, y: 100)
   
  circleWrapper.draw(in: context)
  squareWrapper.draw(in: context)

  In this example, we have two types that conform to the Drawable protocol: Circle and Square. We then define a DrawableWrapper class that takes any object that conforms to the Drawable protocol and stores a closure that can draw the object in a given CGContext. This allows us to "erase" the concrete type of the object and treat it as a Drawable protocol type. We can then create DrawableWrapper objects for Circle and Square, and call their draw(in:) methods without needing to know their concrete types.

  Type erasure is a powerful technique in Swift that can be used to simplify the interfaces of generic types and hide their implementation details. It is particularly useful when we need to work with generic types in a context where the associated types are not known until runtime.

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Design patterns

• 🟩 How would you explain delegates to a new Swift developer?

  Answer

  Delegates in Swift are a design pattern used to establish communication between objects. They work by allowing one object (the delegate) to delegate some of its responsibilities to another object, which acts as the delegate.

  To implement delegates in Swift, we typically define a protocol with one or more methods that the delegate can implement. The delegating object then has a delegate property that conforms to the protocol. When the delegating object wants to communicate with its delegate, it simply calls the appropriate method on the delegate.

  An example of where delegates might be used is in a table view. The table view might delegate responsibility for providing the content of each cell to another object (the data source), and responsibility for responding to user interactions with the cells to yet another object (the delegate).

  In this way, the table view can remain focused on managing the display of the cells, while delegating other responsibilities to separate objects that are better suited to handle them.

• 🟧 Can you explain MVC, and how it's used on Apple's platforms?

  Answer

  MVC stands for Model-View-Controller, which is a common design pattern used in software development. In the context of Apple's platforms, it is used to separate the code that handles user interactions and business logic from the code that handles the presentation of data.

  Here's a brief overview of each component:

  • Model: This is the data layer of the application. It contains the data and the logic for manipulating that data. In an iOS app, the model might represent the data that is stored in a database or fetched from a web service.
  • View: This is the presentation layer of the application. It contains the user interface elements that the user interacts with. In an iOS app, views might include things like buttons, labels, text fields, and images.
  • Controller: This is the glue that connects the model and the view. It handles user input and updates the model and view accordingly. In an iOS app, controllers might include things like view controllers, which manage the views in a particular section of the app.

  The goal of MVC is to separate the concerns of the model, view, and controller so that changes to one component don't affect the others. For example, if we need to update the model, we can do so without changing the view or the controller. This makes it easier to maintain and modify our code over time.

  In Apple's platforms, MVC is used extensively. View controllers are the primary controllers in iOS apps, and they are responsible for managing the views in a particular section of the app. They also handle user input and update the model and other views accordingly. The model is often represented by data structures or objects that are defined in separate files, and the view is created using Interface Builder or by creating views programmatically.

• 🟧 Can you explain MVVM, and how it might be used on Apple's platforms?

  Answer

  MVVM stands for Model-View-ViewModel, and it is an architecture pattern that is commonly used in developing software for Apple's platforms. Like the MVC pattern, MVVM is designed to help developers organize their code and separate concerns in a logical way.

  In MVVM, the Model represents the data and the business logic of the application. The View is responsible for displaying the data and handling user input. The ViewModel is a mediator between the View and the Model, and it provides data and behavior to the View in a way that is easily consumed.

  The ViewModel in MVVM is often considered the most important component. It provides a separation of concerns between the View and the Model, allowing developers to test the ViewModel independently of the View. The ViewModel typically exposes data and behavior using properties and methods, which the View can bind to.

  One of the key benefits of using MVVM is that it allows developers to write highly testable code. Because the ViewModel is responsible for providing data and behavior to the View, developers can easily test the ViewModel in isolation, without having to worry about the complexities of the View or the Model.

  In addition to testability, MVVM can also improve code organization, reduce coupling, and make it easier to maintain and refactor code. On Apple's platforms, MVVM is commonly used in conjunction with frameworks such as UIKit, SwiftUI, and Combine to build complex, scalable, and maintainable applications.

• 🟧 How would you explain dependency injection to a junior developer?

  Answer

  Dependency injection is a programming design pattern that is used to make code more modular and testable. In this pattern, instead of creating objects or dependencies within a class or function, we pass them in as parameters from the outside. This helps to reduce the coupling between components and makes it easier to change or update parts of our code without having to make changes to many different places.

  For example, let's say we have a UserManager class that is responsible for fetching and managing user data. Instead of having the UserManager class create its own dependencies, such as a network client, we pass in the dependencies as parameters when we create an instance of the UserManager. This way, we can easily swap out different network clients without having to modify the UserManager code.

  Dependency injection helps to make our code more flexible, modular, and easier to test.

• 🟧 How would you explain protocol-oriented programming to a new Swift developer?

  Answer

  Protocol-oriented programming is a programming paradigm that emphasizes the use of protocols to define the behavior of objects rather than relying on class inheritance. In this approach, we create protocols that define a set of methods, properties, and other requirements that an object must fulfill in order to conform to the protocol. Then, we can create structs, classes, or enums that conform to the protocol and implement the required methods and properties.

  One of the benefits of protocol-oriented programming is that it allows for more modular and reusable code, as protocols can be used to define common behavior that can be shared across multiple types. This can help to reduce code duplication and make it easier to write code that is flexible and easy to maintain.

  In Swift, protocol-oriented programming is often used in conjunction with value types, such as structs and enums, which can help to improve performance and reduce memory usage compared to traditional object-oriented programming using class inheritance. Additionally, Swift's protocol extensions and default implementations can make it easy to add behavior to types that conform to a protocol without having to rewrite the same code over and over again.

• 🟧 What experience do you have of functional programming?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with functional programming. Here is how I would approach it:

  I would say that I have a fair amount of experience in functional programming. It is a programming paradigm that emphasizes the use of functions to solve problems. In functional programming, functions are treated as first-class citizens and can be passed as arguments to other functions, returned as values from functions, and assigned to variables or constants. Functional programming encourages the use of immutable data structures and avoids changing state and mutable state.

  I have used some languages that support functional programming such as Scala, Swift and Kotlin. In Swift, functional programming features include higher-order functions, closures, map, filter, and reduce. These features make it possible to write more concise and expressive code that is easier to reason about and test.

• 🟥 Can you explain KVO, and how it's used on Apple's platforms?

  Answer

  KVO stands for Key-Value Observing, and it's a design pattern used in Apple's platforms to observe changes to the properties of objects. With KVO, we can register an object to observe changes to the values of a specified property of another object, and receive a notification when the value of that property changes.

  To use KVO, we typically define an observer object and register it with the object that we want to observe. When the value of a property changes, the observed object sends a notification to the observer object, which can then take some action based on the new value.

  KVO can be useful in many situations, such as updating a UI when the value of a model object changes, or observing changes to a property of a third-party library. However, it's important to use KVO with care, as it can introduce complexity and potential bugs if not used correctly.

• 🟥 Can you give some examples of where singletons might be a good idea?

  Answer

  Singletons are commonly used in situations where there should only be a single instance of a particular object in the application, and that instance needs to be easily accessible from multiple parts of the codebase. Here are a few examples of where singletons might be a good idea:

  • UIApplication - This is a singleton class provided by Apple that represents the entire application. There should only ever be one instance of this class in an application, and it needs to be accessible from many different parts of the codebase.
  • NotificationCenter - This is another singleton class provided by Apple that provides a mechanism for broadcasting messages within an application. It's important that there is only one instance of this class, as otherwise notifications could get lost.
  • UserDefaults - This is a singleton class provided by Apple that provides a way to store small amounts of data between application launches. It's important that there is only one instance of this class, as otherwise data could be overwritten or lost.
  • FileManager - This is a singleton class provided by Apple that provides a way to interact with the file system. It's important that there is only one instance of this class, as otherwise multiple instances could interfere with each other.

  In general, singletons should be used sparingly, as they can lead to tight coupling and make code harder to test. However, in certain cases where there should only be one instance of a particular object, and that object needs to be easily accessible from many parts of the codebase, a singleton can be a good solution.

• 🟥 What are phantom types and when would you use them?

  Answer

  Phantom types are types that are not instantiated with a value, but rather serve as a way to enforce constraints on a program's logic at compile time.

  For example, consider a function that performs an operation on two integers. We might want to enforce that the two integers have the same sign. We could use a phantom type to represent positive or negative integers, and then require that both arguments to the function have the same phantom type. This would ensure that the function can only be called with arguments of the same sign.

  Phantom types can also be used to enforce more complex constraints on data, such as ensuring that a value has been validated or that a value is only used in certain contexts. By using phantom types, we can ensure that certain properties of our program are enforced at compile time, rather than relying on runtime checks.

  Here's an example of phantom types:

  struct Username<T>: ExpressibleByStringLiteral {
      let value: String
   
      init(stringLiteral value: String) {
          self.value = value
      }
  }
   
  struct Password<T>: ExpressibleByStringLiteral {
      let value: String
   
      init(stringLiteral value: String) {
          self.value = value
      }
  }
   
  struct User<U, P> {
      let username: U
      let password: P
  }
   
  // Create a user with a valid username and password
  let user = User(username: Username("johndoe"), password: Password("secretpassword"))
   
  // Attempt to create a user with an invalid password
  let invalidUser = User(username: Username("janedoe"), password: Password(12345)) // Compiler error: Cannot convert value of type 'Int' to expected argument type 'String'

  In this example, we define two phantom types Username and Password, which are essentially just wrappers around String. We use these phantom types to create a User struct, which takes two generic type parameters U and P that represent the phantom types for the username and password, respectively.

  By using phantom types in this way, we can ensure that only valid strings are used to create a user. Attempting to create a user with an invalid password (in this case, an integer) will result in a compiler error.

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Frameworks

• 🟩 How does CloudKit differ from Core Data?

  Answer

  CloudKit and Core Data are two different technologies used in iOS app development. CloudKit is a cloud-based solution provided by Apple that allows developers to store data and files in iCloud and share that data between devices. Core Data, on the other hand, is a framework that allows developers to manage the data model layer of an app, including storing and retrieving data from a persistent store.

  Some key differences between CloudKit and Core Data are:

  • Data storage: CloudKit stores data in the cloud, while Core Data stores data locally on a device.
  • Data syncing: CloudKit provides automatic syncing of data between devices, while Core Data requires developers to implement their own syncing solution.
  • Server-side processing: CloudKit provides server-side processing of data using Cloud Functions, while Core Data does not have this capability.
  • Scalability: CloudKit can handle large amounts of data and multiple users, while Core Data may struggle with scaling to larger datasets.

  In summary, CloudKit is a cloud-based storage and syncing solution, while Core Data is a local data storage and management framework. Depending on the needs of an app, one or both of these technologies may be used.

• 🟩 How does SpriteKit differ from SceneKit?

  Answer

  SpriteKit and SceneKit are both 2D and 3D graphics rendering frameworks, respectively, that are provided by Apple on its platforms. The main differences between them are:

  • Use case: SpriteKit is mainly used for 2D game development, whereas SceneKit is designed for 3D game and app development.
  • Physics engine: Both frameworks have built-in physics engines to simulate realistic movements and interactions between objects. However, SpriteKit's physics engine is more lightweight and designed for 2D games, while SceneKit's physics engine is more advanced and can handle more complex interactions in 3D environments.
  • Animation tools: SpriteKit provides a powerful set of tools for creating animations, including the ability to animate textures, colors, and other properties. SceneKit also has animation tools, but they are designed more for creating complex 3D animations with keyframe animation.
  • Rendering pipeline: The rendering pipeline in SpriteKit is optimized for 2D graphics, while SceneKit's pipeline is optimized for 3D graphics. This means that SpriteKit can handle large numbers of 2D sprites with ease, while SceneKit can handle complex 3D models and scenes.

  The choice between SpriteKit and SceneKit depends on the specific needs of the project. For simple 2D games, SpriteKit is often the better choice due to its ease of use and performance. For more complex 3D games or apps, SceneKit provides a more robust set of tools for creating complex scenes and interactions.

• 🟩 How much experience do you have using Core Data? Can you give examples?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with Core Data. Here is how I would approach it:

  I would say that I have a fair amount of experience using Core Data. I have used it in the following projects:

  • A note-taking app that allows users to create and store notes. The notes were stored in the user's device using Core Data.
  • A contacts app that allows users to manage their contacts. The contacts were store in the user's device using Core Data.
  • An app that fetches GitHub users from remote and allows the user to favorite users, which were managed using Core Data.

• 🟩 How much experience do you have using Core Graphics? Can you give examples?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with Core Graphics. Here is how I would approach it:

  I would say that I have a fair amount of experience using Core Data. I have used it for the following purposes:

  • Drawing charts and graphs: I have used it to create shapes, lines, colors, and gradients in order to create complex charts and visualizations.
  • Image manipulation: I have used it to crop, resize, rotate, and apply filters to images.
  • PDF generation: I have use it to create custom PDF documents with text, images and shapes.
  • Drawing game graphics: I have used it to draw game graphics in iOS games, such as sprites and particle effects.

• 🟩 What are the different ways of showing web content to users?

  Answer

  There are different ways of showing web content to users in Swift, including:

  • Using WKWebView: This is a native iOS class that allows us to display web content in our app. We can load any website or HTML content using the load(_:) method of WKWebView. We can also customize the appearance and behavior of the web view using various properties and delegate methods.
  • Using SFSafariViewController: This is a built-in view controller that displays web content in Safari’s user interface. We can use this view controller to show web pages, authenticate users with web-based services, and enable features such as Reader mode, content blockers, and more. This is an easy and secure way to display web content without worrying about implementing navigation or security features.
  • Using UIWebView: This is an older iOS class that is now deprecated and replaced by WKWebView. However, if we need to support older versions of iOS, we can still use UIWebView to display web content. The process is similar to using WKWebView, but the behavior and features of the web view may be different.
  • Using a third-party library: There are many third-party libraries available that can help us display web content in our app. For example, Alamofire can be used to fetch web content and display it using a native view controller or custom UI.

  The choice of which method to use depends on our specific needs and the level of control and customization we require over the appearance and behavior of the web content.

• 🟩 What class would you use to list files in a directory?

  Answer

  In Swift, we can use the FileManager class to list files in a directory. The contentsOfDirectory(atPath:) method of FileManager returns an array of file and folder names within a given directory. Here's an example:

  let fileManager = FileManager.default
  let documentsURL = try! fileManager.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: false)
  let directoryContents = try! fileManager.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: documentsURL.path)
  for item in directoryContents {
      print("Found item: \(item)")
  }

  In this example, we first get the FileManager object, then we get the URL for the document directory using url(for:in:appropriateFor:create:). We then use the contentsOfDirectory(atPath:) method to get an array of file and folder names within the document directory, and loop through them to print each item's name.

• 🟩 What is UserDefaults good for? What is UserDefaults not good for?

  Answer

  UserDefaults is a convenient way to store small amounts of user-related data such as preferences, settings, and configurations. It's essentially a key-value store that provides an interface for storing and retrieving data using simple API.

  UserDefaults is useful when:

  • We need to store simple data that doesn't require complex data modeling.
  • We need to persist data across app launches.
  • We need to share data between different parts of our app.
  • We need to store data that is specific to the user, such as user preferences or settings.

  UserDefaults is not a good choice for:

  • Large amounts of data or binary data.
  • Sensitive data that requires encryption or secure storage.
  • Complex data modeling or relationships.
  • High-performance requirements.

  In general, UserDefaults is best suited for small, simple, and non-sensitive data that needs to be persisted across app launches and accessed easily from different parts of the app. If we need to store more complex data, we may need to consider using other storage solutions such as Core Data or a third-party database.

• 🟩 What is the purpose of NotificationCenter?

  Answer

  The NotificationCenter class in Swift is used for broadcasting information within an application. It is a publish-subscribe pattern that allows objects to communicate with each other without having direct dependencies.

  The purpose of NotificationCenter is to enable communication between different parts of an app in a loosely coupled manner. When an event happens, one or more objects can post a notification to the notification center, which then broadcasts the notification to any interested observers.

  Observers can register with the notification center to receive notifications about specific events. When a notification is posted, the notification center sends the notification to all registered observers. The observers can then take appropriate action based on the content of the notification.

  NotificationCenter is a powerful tool for decoupling different parts of an app, and it's commonly used to handle situations such as updating the UI when a data model changes, responding to system events such as keyboard or screen orientation changes, and notifying other parts of the app when a user completes a task. However, it's not suitable for communication between unrelated apps, or for sharing large amounts of data between different parts of an app. In those cases, other mechanisms such as URL schemes or app extensions may be more appropriate.

• 🟩 What steps would you follow to make a network request?

  Answer

  To make a network request in an iOS app, we would typically follow these steps:

  • Create a URL: We need to create a URL object to specify the server we want to interact with and the specific endpoint we want to hit. We can do this using the URL class.
  • Create a URLRequest: Once we have a URL, we can create a URLRequest object to encapsulate information like the HTTP method we want to use (e.g., GET, POST, PUT), headers, and any parameters we want to send.
  • Create a URLSession: We'll use the URLSession class to send the request and handle the response. We can configure the session with settings like whether to use caching and how to handle cookies.
  • Create a data task: We'll create a data task using the URLSession object we just created. The data task represents the request and response, and we can use it to send the request and handle the response.
  • Send the request: We can use the data task's resume() method to send the request.
  • Handle the response: Once the request is sent, we'll get a response in the form of an HTTP status code, headers, and possibly a body containing the response data. We can handle this response by implementing the completion handler provided by the data task.
  • Parse the response: Depending on the format of the response data, we may need to parse it into a usable format, such as JSON or XML. We can use libraries like JSONSerialization or third-party libraries like Alamofire to help with this.
  • Handle errors: Network requests can fail for a variety of reasons, such as a poor internet connection or a server error. We should handle these errors gracefully by displaying appropriate error messages to the user and providing options for retrying the request or canceling it altogether.

  These are the basic steps to make a network request in an iOS app, but the specifics may vary depending on our app's requirements and the API we're interacting with.

• 🟩 When would you use CGAffineTransform?

  Answer

  CGAffineTransform is a struct that represents a two-dimensional affine transformation used in Core Graphics. It is often used for transforming views, images, and graphics in iOS and macOS applications.

  We would use CGAffineTransform when we want to transform a view, image, or graphic in some way, such as rotating it, scaling it, or translating it. The CGAffineTransform struct provides a way to perform these transformations in a simple and efficient manner.

  For example, we might use CGAffineTransform to rotate a view by 45 degrees like this:

  let rotationAngle = CGFloat.pi / 4.0
  view.transform = CGAffineTransform(rotationAngle: rotationAngle)

  This code creates a CGAffineTransform that represents a rotation by 45 degrees and sets the transform property of the view to that transform, causing the view to rotate by 45 degrees.

  Other use cases for CGAffineTransform might include scaling a view, translating a view, or combining multiple transformations into a single transform.

• 🟧 How much experience do you have using Core Image? Can you give examples?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with Core Image. Here is how I would approach it:

  I would say that I have a fair amount of experience using Core Image. I have used it for the following purposes:

  • Enhancing photos: I have used CoreImage to apply filters to photos, such as adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation, or adding special effects like vignettes or blurs.
  • Real-time image analysis: I have used it to perform real-time image analysis, such as detecting faces and facial features, tracking motion, or recognizing objects in a scene.
  • Applying filters to video: I have used it used to apply filters to live video streams, such as applying a sepia or black-and-white filter to a video feed from the camera.

• 🟧 How much experience do you have using iBeacons? Can you give examples?

  Answer

  iBeacons are now deprecated, so I wouldn't bother preparing this question. However, I will provide its answer for the sake of completeness.

  The answer depends on your experience with iBeacons. Here is how I would approach it:

  I haven't had much experience with it due to its low popularity. However, I once made a project to send notifications or special offers to customers who were browsing nearby products in a store.

• 🟧 How much experience do you have using StoreKit? Can you give examples?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with StoreKit. Here is how I would approach it:

  I integrated StoreKit into two applications. One was a game that used StoreKit to allow players to purchase new levels and characters, and the other was an English learning app that allowed users to subscribe to a monthly plan that gave them access to unlimited content within the app.

• 🟧 How much experience do you have with GCD?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with GCD. Here is how I would approach it:

  I have used GCD in multiple projects to perform time-consuming tasks in the background, such as network requests or file operations, without blocking the main thread and freezing the UI. I have used the main queue to handle UI-related tasks and global queues for general-purpose tasks

• 🟧 What class would you use to play a custom sound in your app?

  Answer

  I would use the AVAudioPlayer class in Swift.

  Here is an example code snippet that shows how to play a sound file named "mySoundFile.mp3" from the app's main bundle:

  import AVFoundation
   
  func playSound() {
      guard let url = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "mySoundFile", withExtension: "mp3") else { return }
      do {
          let player = try AVAudioPlayer(contentsOf: url)
          player.prepareToPlay()
          player.play()
      } catch let error {
          print(error.localizedDescription)
      }
  }

  This code loads the sound file URL from the app's main bundle using Bundle.main.url(forResource:withExtension:), creates an instance of AVAudioPlayer, prepares it for playback with prepareToPlay(), and starts playback with play(). If an error occurs, it is printed to the console.

• 🟧 What experience do you have of NSAttributedString?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with NSAttributedString. Here is how I would approach it:

  I have used it to display stylized text in views, such as UILabel, UIButton and UITextView. It allows us to apply attributed to specific parts of a string, such as font, color and paragraph style. It is useful for creating headings, bullet points or highlighted text.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of GameplayKit?

  Answer

  GameplayKit is a framework provided by Apple for building games in Swift. It includes a variety of tools and functionalities to help developers create games quickly and efficiently. Some features offered by GameplayKit include pathfinding, randomization, state machines, and artificial intelligence.

  The framework can be used to create both 2D and 3D games, and includes built-in support for popular game engines like SpriteKit and SceneKit. Additionally, GameplayKit provides support for physics simulations, which can be useful for creating realistic game mechanics.

  All in all, the purpose of GameplayKit is to simplify game development by providing a range of tools and functionalities that can be used to create a wide variety of games with minimal effort.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of ReplayKit?

  Answer

  ReplayKit is a framework provided by Apple for recording and sharing gameplay videos, app demos, or any other on-screen content. It allows users to record their screens while using an app, and then share the resulting video with others. ReplayKit also includes APIs for live broadcasting, which allows users to stream their gameplay or app usage in real-time to viewers on popular streaming platforms like Twitch or YouTube.

  ReplayKit provides a number of features to developers, including:

  • Recording and sharing of app content
  • Configurable recording settings, including video quality, frame rate, and audio options
  • Support for recording both audio and video
  • Support for live broadcasting to popular streaming platforms
  • Built-in support for sharing recorded videos via social media, messaging apps, and more

  In short, ReplayKit is a useful tool for developers who want to give their users an easy way to share their app experiences with others, or for those who want to incorporate gameplay or app demo videos into their marketing efforts.

• 🟧 When might you use NSSortDescriptor?

  Answer

  We might use NSSortDescriptor when we need to sort an array of objects based on one or more properties of those objects. NSSortDescriptor provides a flexible way to sort arrays, allowing us to sort based on a single property or multiple properties, and specify the order in which they should be sorted (ascending or descending). We can use NSSortDescriptor with many of the Foundation classes, including NSArray, NSMutableArray, NSSet, and NSMutableSet.

  For example, if we have an array of Person objects and we want to sort them by their name property, we could create an NSSortDescriptor with a key of "name" and use it to sort the array:

  let people = [Person(name: "Alice"), Person(name: "Bob"), Person(name: "Charlie")]
  let sortDescriptor = NSSortDescriptor(key: "name", ascending: true)
  let sortedPeople = (people as NSArray).sortedArray(using: [sortDescriptor]) as! [Person]

  This would sort the array of people in ascending order based on their name property.

• 🟥 Can you name at least three different CALayer subclasses?

  Answer

  Yes, these are three different subclasses of CALayer:

  • CAShapeLayer: This subclass is used to draw vector shapes, like circles or polygons, with various fill and stroke options.
  • CATextLayer: This subclass is used to render text in a layer, with options for font, color, and alignment.
  • CAEmitterLayer: This subclass is used to create particle effects, like fire or snow, by emitting and animating a large number of small images.

• 🟥 What is the purpose of CADisplayLink?

  Answer

  CADisplayLink is a class in UIKit that links the screen refresh rate with the app's drawing loop. Its purpose is to synchronize an app's drawing with the device's display refresh rate, which is typically 60 frames per second. When a CADisplayLink object is added to the app's run loop, the system notifies the app each time the display is about to refresh. This allows the app to update its content before the screen is redrawn, ensuring smooth and fluid animations. CADisplayLink is commonly used in game development and other apps with complex graphics or animations.

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iOS

• 🟩 How do you create your UI layouts – storyboards or in code?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your preference for creating UI layouts. Here is how I would approach it:

  I like to create them in code because it gives me more flexibility and control over the layout and can be useful for more complex and dynamic UIs. However, creating UI layouts in code can be more time-consuming, and you have to be tidy enough to avoid disorganized UI code that can lead to confusion with the team. Keep in mind that, if we use UIKit, there is no way to have a visual representation of what the final UI will be at runtime, so it's important to the code clean and organized.

• 🟩 How would you add a shadow to one of your views?

  Answer

  To add a shadow to a view in iOS, we can use the layer property of the view's CALayer object. Here is an example of how to add a shadow to a view:

  // Create the view
  let myView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 200, height: 200))
   
  // Set the shadow properties
  myView.layer.shadowColor = UIColor.black.cgColor
  myView.layer.shadowOpacity = 0.5
  myView.layer.shadowOffset = CGSize(width: 2, height: 2)
  myView.layer.shadowRadius = 4
   
  // Add the view to the parent view
  parentView.addSubview(myView)

  In this example, we first create a new UIView with a frame of 200x200. We then set the shadowColor to black, shadowOpacity to 0.5 (semi-transparent), shadowOffset to (2, 2) to position the shadow below and to the right of the view, and shadowRadius to 4 to give the shadow a blur effect. Finally, we add the view to a parent view.

  Note that when adding a shadow to a view, it's important to set the view's clipsToBounds property to false to allow the shadow to be visible outside the view's bounds.

• 🟩 How would you round the corners of one of your views?

  Answer

  To round the corners of a view, we can use the cornerRadius property of the view's layer. Here's an example of how to do it:

  // Set the corner radius
  myView.layer.cornerRadius = 10
   
  // Clip to bounds to ensure the corners are rounded
  myView.clipsToBounds = true

  This code sets the cornerRadius property of myView's layer to 10, which rounds the corners. It also sets the clipsToBounds property to true to ensure that any content outside the rounded corners is clipped.

• 🟩 What are the advantages and disadvantages of SwiftUI compared to UIKit?

  Answer

  Advantages of SwiftUI compared to UIKit:

  • Declarative syntax: SwiftUI uses a declarative syntax, which makes it easier to read and write code. Instead of describing the steps to create a UI, we simply declare the desired UI components and their properties, and SwiftUI takes care of the implementation details.
  • Preview canvas: With SwiftUI, we can see a live preview of our UI as we create it. This helps us to quickly iterate on our design and catch any issues before compiling and running the app.
  • Cross-platform development: SwiftUI can be used to build user interfaces for multiple platforms, including iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, with a single codebase. This can save time and reduce development costs for applications that need to be deployed on multiple platforms.
  • Accessibility: SwiftUI includes accessibility features such as VoiceOver and dynamic type, which makes it easier to build apps that are accessible to everyone.

  Disadvantages of SwiftUI compared to UIKit:

  • Learning curve: SwiftUI has a different syntax and paradigm compared to UIKit, so there is a learning curve for developers who are already familiar with UIKit.
  • Limited feature set: SwiftUI is a newer technology compared to UIKit, so it doesn't yet have the same level of features and flexibility as UIKit.
  • Limited backwards compatibility: SwiftUI requires a minimum deployment target of iOS 13 or macOS 10.15, which means that it can't be used for apps that need to support older operating systems.

• 🟩 What do you think is a sensible minimum iOS deployment target?

  Answer

  The minimum iOS deployment target should depend on the needs of the app and the user base. Generally, it's recommended to support at least the last two or three major versions of iOS to ensure that the app is compatible with a large number of devices. However, if the app has specific requirements that are only available in the latest version of iOS, then the minimum deployment target may need to be higher.

  Additionally, it's important to consider the distribution of the user base when determining the minimum deployment target. If the majority of the users are on older devices or operating systems, it may be necessary to set a lower minimum deployment target to ensure that the app is accessible to as many users as possible.

• 🟩 What features of recent iOS versions were you most excited to try?

  Answer

  As for iOS 16, NavigationView is replaced by NavigationStack and NavigationSplitView, which sensibly improves the navigation handling in SwiftUI, which was kind of tricky compared to UIKit.

• 🟩 What kind of settings would you store in your Info.plist file?

  Answer

  The Info.plist file is a property list file that contains essential information about an app. It is used by the system to determine how our app interacts with the user and the system. The Info.plist file contains key-value pairs that describe various aspects of our app, such as its name, version number, icon files, supported devices, required capabilities, and much more.

  Some examples of settings that can be stored in the Info.plist file include:

  • App name and version number
  • Supported device orientations
  • Supported device types
  • Required device capabilities
  • Required background modes
  • App icons and launch images
  • URL schemes and document types
  • Required permissions and entitlements
  • Localizations and language settings
  • App transport security settings
  • Supported audio and video formats
  • App extensions and plug-ins

  In a nutshell, the Info.plist file is a powerful tool for configuring our app and communicating its requirements and capabilities to the system.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of size classes?

  Answer

  Size classes in Swift are used to provide a way to design responsive interfaces that can adapt to different device sizes and orientations. With size classes, developers can define layout constraints and rules that adjust automatically based on the device's screen size, allowing for the creation of adaptive layouts that work across a wide range of devices.

  Size classes are defined by two dimensions: horizontal size class and vertical size class. The horizontal size class describes the width of the device's screen, and the vertical size class describes the height. Each size class can be set to one of several possible values, such as compact or regular, depending on the screen size.

  By using size classes in Swift, developers can create layouts that adjust dynamically based on the device's size and orientation, reducing the need to create separate layouts for different device sizes. This can make development more efficient and help ensure a consistent user experience across different devices.

• 🟥 What happens when Color or UIColor has values outside 0 to 1?

  Answer

  Both Color in SwiftUI and UIColor in UIKit expect their values to be within the range of 0 to 1. If a color value is set outside this range, it will be automatically clamped to the closest valid value.

  For example, if we create a Color with RGB values of (1.2, 0.5, 0.3), the resulting color will be (1.0, 0.5, 0.3), as the red value is clamped to the maximum value of 1.0.

  Similarly, if we create a UIColor with RGB values of (256, 128, 64), the resulting color will be (1.0, 0.5, 0.25), as all three values are clamped to the maximum value of 1.0.

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Miscellaneous

• 🟩 Can you talk me through some interesting code you wrote recently?

  Answer

  This question is broad and specific to the person being asked. However, here's an extensive answer talking about animations:

  Recently, I worked on an iOS app that required a custom view that would animate the transition between two child views. This view needed to perform a series of animations in a specific order, with some animations happening simultaneously and others happening sequentially. To accomplish this, I created a custom animation manager class that used Core Animation to perform the animations.

  The animation manager class had a public function that could be called to start the animation. This function took two views as parameters - the view that was currently being displayed and the view that was going to be displayed after the animation was complete.

  Inside the animation manager class, I used a combination of CABasicAnimation and CAAnimationGroup to perform the animations. I also used a completion block to make sure that the new view was added to the screen hierarchy at the correct time.

  One of the challenges with this code was making sure that the animations were performant and didn't cause any dropped frames or other issues. To do this, I used a combination of profiling tools and manual testing to make sure that the animations were smooth and didn't cause any performance problems.

  I was happy with how this code turned out. It was a great learning experience for me to work with Core Animation in Swift.

• 🟩 Do you have any favorite Swift newsletters or websites you read often?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I access a bunch of sites to strengthen my Swift knowledge but my favourite ones are Swift by Sundell and Hacking with Swift. As for newsletters, my favourite one is iOS Dev Weekly.

• 🟩 How do you stay up to date with changes in Swift?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I make sure to check the Swift documentation and release notes regularly to see what changes have been made in each new version of the language. I also keep an eye on any announcements made each year at WWDC.

• 🟩 How familiar are you with XCTest? Have you ever created UI tests?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I'm very familiar with XCTest as it's a testing framework built into Xcode for unit testing. I have created UI tests by using the XCUIApplication API to launch the app and, then, using XCUIElement API to simulate user interactions with the UI, such as tapping buttons. Once this is settled, I use assertions to verify the expected behavior of the UI elements, such as checking if a label displays the correct text or if a button is enabled or disabled.

• 🟩 How has Swift changed since it was first released in 2014?

  Answer

  Since its first release in 2014, Swift has undergone significant changes and improvements. Some key changes include:

  • ABI Stability: One of the most significant changes was the introduction of ABI (Application Binary Interface) stability with Swift 5.0. This enabled developers to write code in Swift that could be distributed as binary frameworks, making it easier to use Swift code in projects and reducing the size of binary files.
  • Language Evolution: Swift has continued to evolve, with new features and improvements introduced with each new release. Some notable additions include better error handling, enhanced optionals, protocol extensions, and a more powerful switch statement.
  • Open Source: Swift was open-sourced in 2015, which enabled developers to contribute to the language and the community to grow. Since then, Swift has become one of the fastest-growing programming languages, and many companies and organizations have adopted it for their projects.
  • Improved Interoperability: Swift has improved its interoperability with other languages, making it easier to use Swift code with Objective-C, C, and other languages. This has been achieved through enhancements to the Swift runtime and the introduction of new bridging mechanisms.
  • Tooling and Infrastructure: The Swift tooling and infrastructure have also seen significant improvements over the years, making it easier to build, test, and distribute Swift code. This includes improvements to Xcode, the Swift Package Manager, and the Swift REPL.

• 🟩 If you could have Apple add or improve one API, what would it be?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I would like Apple to improve the Camera API to provide more advanced control over the camera hardware and more flexibility for customizing the camera interface. It would be nice to have more granular control over camera settings like shutter speed, ISO, and focus, and more powerful tools for working with live camera feeds and AR technologies.

• 🟩 What books would you recommend to someone who wants to learn Swift?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I found the books by Hacking with Swift and Apple's "The Swift Programming Language" very useful to learn Swift, so I think they are a good starting point for a beginner.

• 🟩 What non-Apple apps do you think have particular good design?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I particularly like Spotify, which has a sleek and user-friendly design, making it easy for users to discover new music and create playlists. Duolingo is also an app with an excellent design because it combines a fun, colorful design with effective learning techniques.

• 🟩 What open source projects have you contributed to?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I haven't contributed to an open source project yet, but I have created open source apps that you can check on my GitHub account. As for iOS open source projects, I have uploaded the 100 Days of Swift course by Paul Hudson with all challenges and milestone projects made by me, a modified version of Sean Allen's GitHub Followers course and an app that connects to the OpenWeatherAPI to display the weather for a user-input location on a map along with 4 locations relative to the input location.

• 🟩 What process do you take to perform code review?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  1. Understand the context: Before starting the code review, it's important to understand the context of the code changes. What problem is the code trying to solve, what's the expected outcome, and who is the target audience? Knowing this information will help us focus on the most critical aspects of the code.
  2. Check the code style: It's important to check if the code is following the coding style guidelines. This includes things like naming conventions, code formatting, and commenting standards. Consistency is important, and it makes the code more readable and easier to maintain.
  3. Test the code: Make sure the code works as intended. Test different scenarios, and try to identify edge cases that might break the code. If we find a bug, report it, and suggest a fix.
  4. Check for code quality: Analyze the code for quality issues like complexity, duplication, and maintainability. Identify areas that could be improved, and suggest solutions to the problems we find.
  5. Provide constructive feedback: Provide feedback that is constructive, objective, and actionable. Use examples to illustrate our point, and suggest alternative solutions where appropriate. Avoid being overly critical or dismissive, and keep the feedback focused on improving the code.
  6. Follow up: After the code review, follow up with the developer to make sure they understood our feedback and have addressed the issues we raised. Encourage them to ask questions if they need clarification, and be open to discussing any concerns they might have.

• 🟧 Have you ever filed bugs with Apple? Can you walk me through some?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  Yes, I have filed quite a few. To file a bug with Apple, we need to have an Apple ID and access to the Apple Bug Reporter website. Once we have logged in, we can create a new bug report and provide the following information:

  1. Summary: A brief description of the issue.
  2. Steps to Reproduce: A detailed list of steps that reproduce the issue. Include any relevant data, such as sample code or screenshots.
  3. Expected Results: A description of what we expected to happen.
  4. Actual Results: A description of what actually happened.
  5. Version: The version of the software we were using when the issue occurred.
  6. Configuration: Any relevant configuration information, such as device type or operating system version.
  7. Notes: Any additional information that may be helpful in reproducing the issue.

• 🟧 Have you ever used test- or business-driven development?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  Yes, I have used both. TDD (Test-Driven Development) is a valuable skill as a programmer because it helps us, the developers, to create high-quality code that is easier to maintain and modify over time. As for BDD (Business-Driven Development), I have used it along with TDD to align software development with business objectives because BDD involves defining the desired behaviour of the software in terms of business requirements and then writing tests to ensure that the software meets those requirements. It is useful for making developers, testers, and non-technical people ensure that the software meets the business needs.

• 🟧 How do you think Swift compares to Objective-C?

  Answer

  Swift and Objective-C are both programming languages used for developing applications for Apple's ecosystem, with Objective-C being the older language and Swift being the newer one. Here are a few key differences:

  • Syntax: One of the most noticeable differences between Swift and Objective-C is their syntax. Swift uses a more modern, concise, and readable syntax than Objective-C, which can be more verbose and difficult to read.
  • Performance: Objective-C is less performant than Swift because it has a dynamic message resolution mechanism. That is, for every function call you do, Objective-C will look into a resolution table an it will decide on runtime where to send the message. Both Swift and Objective-C use ARC, so memory management is basically equivalent for both, except that Objective-C passes everything by reference, which may be slightly faster but very error prone. In contrast, Swift passes everything that is not a class by copy, except for data containers that uses the COW strategy. That is, Copy On Write, where instances are only copied when they are locally modified. That makes Swift safer and more performant than Objective-C.
  • Safety: Swift is designed to be a safer language than Objective-C. It has features like optional types and safe memory management that help prevent common programming errors.
  • Interoperability: Objective-C and Swift are interoperable, which means that we can use them together in the same project. This is particularly useful when we're migrating an existing Objective-C codebase to Swift.

  Swift is a more modern and powerful language than Objective-C, and is increasingly becoming the language of choice for iOS and macOS development. However, Objective-C is still widely used and is a valuable skill to have as an iOS developer.

• 🟧 How familiar are you with Objective-C? Have you shipped any apps using it?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I'm not familiar with Objective-C at all. All the projects I have worked on have been written entirely in Swift.

• 🟧 What experience do you have with the Swift Package Manager?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  I have been using SPM (Swift Package Manager) since I started iOS development 3 years ago. However, for some larger projects, I have had to use CocoaPods instead due to its larger library of third-party dependencies. However, SPM is lighter and easier to integrate into Xcode, and more and more CocoaPods are being ported to SPM, so I have been using it more lately.

• 🟧 What experience do you have working on macOS, tvOS, and watchOS?

  Answer

  This question is specific to the person being asked. However, here's what I would answer:

  Not much at the moment. However, I would like to port some iOS apps to macOS and give tvOS and watchOS a try, but unfortunately not having the hardware is an obstacle to developing apps for these two platforms.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of code signing in Xcode?

  Answer

  Code signing is a security mechanism in Xcode that ensures that the app or framework being installed on a device or submitted to the App Store is created by a trusted source and has not been modified since it was built. Code signing uses digital certificates and private keys to sign the app or framework, and the operating system checks the signature before allowing it to run.

  There are several reasons why code signing is important:

  • It ensures that the app or framework was created by a trusted source, which helps prevent malware and other security threats.
  • It verifies that the app or framework has not been tampered with since it was built, which helps prevent piracy and ensures the integrity of the code.
  • It allows the app or framework to access certain features and resources on the device, such as the camera or contacts, that would otherwise be restricted for security reasons.

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Performance

• 🟧 How would you identify and resolve a retain cycle?

  Answer

  A retain cycle occurs when two or more objects hold strong references to each other, creating a situation where they can't be deallocated by ARC (Automatic Reference Counting) and leading to a memory leak. Here are the steps to identify and resolve a retain cycle:

  1. Identify the objects involved: The first step is to identify the objects involved in the retain cycle. We can use Xcode's memory debugger, Instruments, to track down the objects and identify the relationships between them.
  2. Check the object relationships: Once we have identified the objects, check the relationships between them. Look for strong references between the objects.
  3. Use weak or unowned references: If we find a strong reference between two objects that is causing the retain cycle, we can break the cycle by using a weak or unowned reference instead.
  4. Use capture lists: If we are using closures or blocks that are capturing objects and causing the retain cycle, we can use capture lists to break the cycle.
  5. Use a weak delegate: If we have a delegate that is causing the retain cycle, we can make the delegate reference weak.
  6. Use deinit to clean up: Finally, we can use the deinit method to clean up any resources that might be causing the retain cycle.

• 🟧 What is an efficient way to cache data in memory?

  Answer

  One efficient way to cache data in memory is to use NSCache, which is a class provided by Apple to manage a collection of key-value pairs in memory. NSCache is designed to automatically evict objects from the cache in response to memory pressure from the system, and it also provides thread-safe access to the cache.

  To use NSCache, we can create an instance of the class and set the maximum number of objects and the total cost limit of the cache. We can then add and retrieve objects from the cache using keys.

  Here is an example of using NSCache to cache image data:

  class ImageCache {
      static let shared = ImageCache()
      
      private let cache = NSCache<NSString, NSData>()
      
      func getImageData(forKey key: String) -> Data? {
          return cache.object(forKey: key as NSString) as Data?
      }
      
      func setImageData(_ imageData: Data, forKey key: String) {
          cache.setObject(imageData as NSData, forKey: key as NSString, cost: imageData.count)
      }
  }

  In this example, the ImageCache class uses a singleton pattern to provide a shared instance of the cache. The cache is defined as an instance of NSCache<NSString, NSData>, where the keys are NSString objects and the values are NSData objects. The getImageData(forKey:) method retrieves image data from the cache using a given key, and the setImageData(_:forKey:) method adds image data to the cache with a given key and cost.

  By using an NSCache, we can efficiently store and retrieve data in memory, which can be especially useful for performance-critical applications that need to access data quickly and frequently.

• 🟧 What steps do you take to identify and resolve battery life issues?

  Answer

  When it comes to identifying and resolving battery life issues, there are several steps we can take to optimize the performance of an app and minimize its impact on the user's device. Here are some steps we can take:

  • Optimize drawing: Drawing can be a major drain on battery life, especially if the app is constantly redrawing the screen. To optimize drawing, consider using techniques such as layer masking, off-screen rendering, and Core Graphics to minimize the amount of drawing that needs to be done.
  • Batch network requests: Network requests can also be a significant battery drain, especially if the app is making many small requests instead of a few larger ones. To optimize network performance, we need to consider batching requests whenever possible, and using techniques such as caching and compression to minimize the amount of data that needs to be transferred.
  • Minimize work when the user isn't interacting with the app: When the user isn't interacting with the app, it's important to minimize the amount of work that's being done. This includes things like suspending background tasks, pausing animations, and reducing the frequency of updates.
  • Use energy profiling tools: Xcode includes a variety of energy profiling tools that can help us identify which parts of the app are using the most energy. By using these tools, we can identify and optimize the parts of the app that are having the biggest impact on battery life.
  • Test on real devices: Finally, it's important to test the app on real devices to get an accurate sense of its impact on battery life. Different devices have different battery capacities and usage patterns, so it's important to test the app on a variety of devices to get a complete picture of its performance.

• 🟧 What steps do you take to identify and resolve crashes?

  Answer

  Identifying and resolving crashes is a crucial part of app development, and there are several steps that can be taken to accomplish this:

  1. Reproduce the crash: The first step is to reproduce the crash. Try to determine what the user was doing when the crash occurred and replicate the conditions that led to the crash. This can be done by looking at crash logs, user feedback, or using a debugging tool like Xcode's Instruments.
  2. Analyze the crash logs: Once we have reproduced the crash, analyze the crash logs from, for example, the Xcode Console or Firebase Crashlytics. Look for any patterns or commonalities between the crashes. Determine if the crashes are related to a specific device, iOS version, or action.
  3. Debug the code: Use a debugger like Xcode's LLDB to debug the code and identify the root cause of the crash. Look for memory leaks, null pointer exceptions, and other common programming errors that can cause crashes. We can also use breakpoints, assert() and precondition() to make sure that the data handled at a particular point in the app at runtime is correct.
  4. Optimize the code: Once we have identified the cause of the crash, optimize the code to prevent the crash from occurring in the future. This may involve refactoring the code, optimizing algorithms, or reducing memory usage.
  5. Test the fix: After making changes to the code, test the fix to ensure that the crash no longer occurs. Use automated tests to verify the fix and perform manual testing to ensure that the app is functioning as expected.

• 🟥 How does Swift handle memory management?

  Answer

  Swift uses Automatic Reference Counting (ARC) for memory management. ARC automatically frees up memory that is no longer being used by keeping track of the number of references to each instance of an object. When the reference count of an object drops to zero, the object is deallocated.

  ARC works by inserting code at compile-time that automatically manages the reference counting of objects. Swift tracks strong references, which keep an object alive as long as there is at least one strong reference to it, and weak and unowned references, which allow references to an object without keeping it alive.

  Here's an example:

  class Person {
      let name: String
      init(name: String) {
          self.name = name
          print("\(name) is being initialized")
      }
      deinit {
          print("\(name) is being deinitialized")
      }
  }
   
  func testARC() {
      var person1: Person?
      var person2: Person?
      var person3: Person?
      
      person1 = Person(name: "Alice")
      person2 = Person(name: "Bob")
      person3 = Person(name: "Charlie")
      
      person1?.name // prints "Alice"
      person2?.name // prints "Bob"
      person3?.name // prints "Charlie"
      
      person1 = nil
      person2 = nil
      person3 = nil
  }
   
  testARC()

  In this example, we define a Person class with a name property and a deinit method that prints a message when the object is being deallocated. In the testARC function, we create three instances of Person and assign them to variables person1, person2, and person3. We then print the name property of each person, which confirms that they were initialized successfully.

  Finally, we set each variable to nil, which removes the strong reference to the corresponding instance of Person. Because there are no more strong references to these objects, ARC automatically deallocates them, calling the deinit method for each instance and printing a message indicating that the object is being deallocated.

  Swift also has support for manual memory management using unsafe pointer types and memory allocation functions, but this is generally not recommended except for certain low-level system programming tasks.

• 🟥 How would you explain ARC to a new iOS developer?

  Answer

  ARC (Automatic Reference Counting) is a memory management system in Swift that automatically tracks and manages the allocation and deallocation of memory for our app's objects. ARC keeps track of how many references or pointers there are to an object in memory and automatically deallocates the object when there are no more references to it.

  In other words, when we create an object in Swift, ARC automatically assigns it a reference count of 1. Every time we create a new reference to the same object, for example by assigning it to a new variable or passing it as an argument to a function, the reference count is incremented by 1. When a reference to the object is removed, the reference count is decremented by 1. When the reference count reaches 0, ARC deallocates the object from memory.

  ARC makes memory management easier and less error-prone for developers because we don't have to manually keep track of how many references there are to an object and when to deallocate it. However, it's important to be aware of potential retain cycles, where objects hold strong references to each other, preventing them from being deallocated, and to use weak or unowned references in these cases.

• 🟥 What steps do you take to identify and resolve a memory leak?

  Answer

  Here are the steps I would take to identify and resolve a memory leak:

  1. Use a memory profiler: The first step is to use a memory profiler tool such as Xcode's Instruments or third-party tools like Heapshot or Leak Detective to identify the source of the leak.
  2. Analyze the leaked objects: Once the memory profiler identifies the source of the leak, analyze the leaked objects and their ownership graph to understand the root cause.
  3. Check for strong reference cycles: Look for strong reference cycles between objects that can prevent the system from releasing the memory. We can use tools like the Memory Graph Debugger to visualize object relationships and identify cycles.
  4. Use weak references: Use weak or unowned references where appropriate to break reference cycles and allow the system to release memory.
  5. Avoid using singletons: Singletons can lead to memory leaks if not implemented correctly. Avoid using singletons or ensure they are properly implemented.
  6. Use autorelease pools: Use autorelease pools to ensure temporary objects are released quickly and do not accumulate.
  7. Check for resource-intensive operations: If the memory leak is not related to reference cycles, check for resource-intensive operations such as image processing or network requests that may cause memory to be consumed rapidly.
  8. Optimize code: Optimize code by minimizing the creation of unnecessary objects, reducing the scope of variables, and avoiding retain cycles.
  9. Test the fix: Once we have identified the cause of the leak and applied a fix, test the app to ensure the issue has been resolved and there are no side effects.

• 🟥 What steps do you take to identify and resolve performance issues?

  Answer

  Identifying and resolving performance issues can be a complex and iterative process. Here are some general steps that can be taken:

  1. Identify the problem: Before we can fix a performance issue, we need to identify what is causing it. Use profiling tools such as Instruments to identify which parts of our code are taking the most time and resources. Look for patterns in the data and try to narrow down the problem as much as possible.
  2. Optimize algorithms and data structures: Once we have identified the problem, look for ways to optimize the code that is causing the issue. This may involve using more efficient algorithms or data structures, or reorganizing the code to reduce unnecessary work.
  3. Optimize I/O and network access: If our app is doing a lot of I/O or network access, look for ways to optimize these operations. This may involve reducing the frequency of network requests or using more efficient I/O methods.
  4. Reduce memory usage: Memory usage can be a common cause of performance issues, especially on mobile devices. Look for ways to reduce the amount of memory our app is using, such as by reusing objects or releasing resources when they are no longer needed.
  5. Use background processing: If our app is doing a lot of work in the foreground, consider moving some of this work to the background to improve performance. This may involve using GCD or NSOperationQueue to manage concurrent tasks.
  6. Test and iterate: Once we have made changes to our code to improve performance, test the app again using profiling tools to see if the changes have had the desired effect. Iterate on the process until we are satisfied with the app's performance.
  7. Consider hardware limitations: Remember that different devices have different hardware capabilities, and what works well on one device may not work as well on another. Be sure to test our app on a range of devices to ensure that it performs well on all of them.

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Security

• 🟩 How much experience do you have using Face ID or Touch ID? Can you give examples?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with Face ID or Touch ID. Here is how I would approach it:

  I have used them as an alternative way for the user to log in an application that had sensible data such as bank movements and stock positions. I have also used them in an application that stored sensible information in the keychain to which the user could access by logging in using Face ID or Touch ID.

• 🟩 How would you explain App Transport Security to a new iOS developer?

  Answer

  App Transport Security (ATS) is a security feature that was introduced in iOS 9 and later versions of iOS. ATS enforces best practices in the secure connections between an app and its back-end server. This means that the app must use HTTPS instead of HTTP to communicate with its server.

  ATS is enabled by default in all apps, and it blocks any non-secure (HTTP) connections by default. This improves the security of the app and protects user data. To enable a connection that is not compliant with ATS, we must configure our app's Info.plist file to include an exception for that connection.

  In summary, ATS is a feature that enhances the security of the connection between the app and its back-end server by enforcing secure connections using HTTPS.

• 🟩 What experience do you have of using the keychain?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with the keychain. Here is how I would approach it:

  I have used the Keychain Services API to store and retrieve sensible data of an app, such as user passwords and API tokens. It's very convenient to use an access control mechanism along with the keychain, such as requiring a passcode or biometric authentication, to ensure that only authorized users can access the data.

• 🟧 How would you calculate the secure hash value for some data?

  Answer

  We can calculate the secure hash value for some data using CryptoKit's SHA256 algorithm as follows:

  import CryptoKit
   
  // Create a message to hash
  let message = "Hello, world!".data(using: .utf8)!
   
  // Hash the message using SHA256
  let digest = SHA256.hash(data: message)
   
  // Convert the digest to a hex string
  let digestHex = digest.map { String(format: "%02hhx", $0) }.joined()
  print(digestHex)

  In this example, we create a message to hash, convert it to a Data object, and then use the SHA256 hash function from the CryptoKit framework to compute the digest. Finally, we convert the digest to a hex string for display.

  Note that this example uses SHA256 for illustrative purposes, but we can use other secure hash functions provided by the CryptoKit framework, such as SHA512, SHA384, SHA224, SHA1, MD5, etc.

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Swift

• 🟩 How would you compare two tuples to ensure their values are identical?

  Answer

  In Swift, we can compare two tuples to ensure their values are identical using the == operator. The == operator returns true if the corresponding elements of the tuples are equal, and false otherwise.

  Here's an example:

  let tuple1 = (1, "hello")
  let tuple2 = (1, "hello")
  let tuple3 = (2, "world")
   
  if tuple1 == tuple2 {
      print("tuple1 and tuple2 are identical")
  } else {
      print("tuple1 and tuple2 are different")
  }
   
  if tuple1 == tuple3 {
      print("tuple1 and tuple3 are identical")
  } else {
      print("tuple1 and tuple3 are different")
  }

  In this example, we define three tuples: tuple1, tuple2, and tuple3. We then use the == operator to compare tuple1 and tuple2, and print the result. Since both tuples have the same values, the == operator returns true and we print "tuple1 and tuple2 are identical".

  Next, we use the == operator to compare tuple1 and tuple3, and print the result. Since the values of the two tuples are different, the == operator returns false, and we print "tuple1 and tuple3 are different".

  So, in summary, to compare two tuples and ensure their values are identical, we can simply use the == operator.

• 🟩 How would you explain operator overloading to a junior developer?

  Answer

  Operator overloading allows us to define our own implementation for existing operators or even create new operators. This can be very useful when working with custom types, as it allows us to define how those types should behave with the standard operators.

  To overload an operator in Swift, we need to define a function that implements the behavior of that operator. The function must be marked with the static or prefix, infix, or postfix keyword, depending on the type of operator we want to overload. For example, to overload the + operator for a custom class MyClass, we could define a function like this:

  static func +(lhs: MyClass, rhs: MyClass) -> MyClass {
      // implementation of the + operator for MyClass
  }

  In this function, lhs and rhs represent the left-hand side and right-hand side operands of the + operator, respectively. The function should return the result of the operation, which should also be of type MyClass.

  Once we have defined the function, we can use the + operator with instances of our MyClass type just like we would with the built-in types.

  Here's an example of how we could use the + operator with a custom class Vector2D that represents a 2D vector:

  class Vector2D {
      var x: Double
      var y: Double
   
      init(x: Double, y: Double) {
          self.x = x
          self.y = y
      }
  }
   
  // Define the + operator for Vector2D
  static func +(lhs: Vector2D, rhs: Vector2D) -> Vector2D {
      return Vector2D(x: lhs.x + rhs.x, y: lhs.y + rhs.y)
  }
   
  let v1 = Vector2D(x: 1.0, y: 2.0)
  let v2 = Vector2D(x: 3.0, y: 4.0)
   
  let v3 = v1 + v2 // v3 is now a Vector2D with x=4.0 and y=6.0

  In this example, we define the + operator for Vector2D by adding the x and y components of the two vectors. We can then use the + operator to add two Vector2D instances together to get a new Vector2D instance with the sum of the x and y properties.

• 🟩 How would you explain protocols to a new Swift developer?

  Answer

  In Swift, a protocol is a blueprint of methods, properties, and other requirements that a class, structure, or enumeration can conform to. Essentially, a protocol defines a set of rules or guidelines that a type must follow in order to implement that protocol.

  Protocols are similar to interfaces in other programming languages, but with additional capabilities. They allow us to define a set of methods and properties that a type must implement, but they can also provide default implementations for some methods and allow us to add constraints on associated types.

  Here's an example of a simple protocol in Swift:

  protocol Drawable {
      func draw()
  }

  In this example, we define a protocol called Drawable that requires any conforming type to implement a method called draw(). The implementation of the draw() method is left up to the conforming type.

  To make a class, struct, or enum conform to the Drawable protocol, we simply need to add the protocol name after the type name, separated by a colon. For example:

  class Circle: Drawable {
      func draw() {
          // implementation of the draw() method for Circle
      }
  }

  In this example, we define a class called Circle that conforms to the Drawable protocol by implementing the draw() method.

  We can also use protocols as types, which allows we to pass any object that conforms to a specific protocol as a parameter or store it as a property. For example:

  func drawObject(object: Drawable) {
      object.draw()
  }

  In this example, we define a function called drawObject() that takes an object conforming to the Drawable protocol as a parameter. The function then calls the draw() method on the object, which is guaranteed to be implemented by any object conforming to the Drawable protocol.

  Protocols are a powerful feature of Swift that allow we to define a set of rules or guidelines that types must follow in order to implement a specific behavior. They provide a flexible and extensible way to define interfaces between types and to write reusable code.

• 🟩 In which situations do Swift functions not need a return keyword?

  Answer

  In Swift, functions may not need a `return` keyword in two main situations:

  1. Void functions: If a function doesn't need to return a value, we can declare it as a "void" function by specifying the return type as Void or () (an empty tuple). In this case, we don't need to use the return keyword at all. For example:

     func printMessage() -> Void {
         print("Hello, world!")
     }
      
     func doSomething() -> () {
         // do something
     }

     In both cases, we can omit the -> Void or -> () part and simply declare the function as:

     func printMessage() {
         print("Hello, world!")
     }
      
     func doSomething() {
         // do something
     }

  2. Implicit returns: If a function consists of a single expression, we can use an "implicit return" and omit the return keyword. The expression's value will be automatically returned as the result of the function. For example:

     func square(_ x: Int) -> Int {
         x * x
     }
      
     func sayHello() -> String {
         "Hello, world!"
     }

     In both cases, we can omit the -> Int or -> String part and simply declare the function as:

     func square(_ x: Int) -> Int {
         x * x
     }
      
     func sayHello() -> String {
         "Hello, world!"
     }

     Note that implicit returns can only be used for single-expression functions. If a function has multiple expressions, we must use the return keyword to explicitly return a value.

• 🟩 What are property observers?

  Answer

  Property observers are a feature that allows us to observe and respond to changes in a property's value. Property observers are code blocks that get executed automatically whenever a property's value is about to be set or has just been set.

  There are two types of property observers: willSet and didSet.

  • willSet: The willSet observer gets called just before the value of the property is about to be set. It receives the new value as a parameter, which we can use to perform some action before the value is set.
  • didSet: The didSet observer gets called immediately after the value of the property has been set. It receives the old value as a parameter, which we can use to perform some action after the value has been set.

  Here is an example:

  class Temperature {
      var celsius: Double = 0.0 {
          willSet(newCelsiusValue) {
              print("About to set temperature to \(newCelsiusValue) degrees Celsius")
          }
          didSet(oldCelsiusValue) {
              print("Temperature was set from \(oldCelsiusValue) to \(celsius) degrees Celsius")
          }
      }
  }
   
  let temp = Temperature()
  temp.celsius = 25.0 // Output: About to set temperature to 25.0 degrees Celsius
                      //         Temperature was set from 0.0 to 25.0 degrees Celsius
  temp.celsius = 30.0 // Output: About to set temperature to 30.0 degrees Celsius
                      //         Temperature was set from 25.0 to 30.0 degrees Celsius

  In this example, we define a Temperature class with a celsius property that has both willSet and didSet observers. Whenever the value of celsius is about to be set, the willSet observer is called with the new value as a parameter. Similarly, whenever the value of celsius has been set, the didSet observer is called with the old value as a parameter.

  In the example, we create an instance of the Temperature class and set the celsius property to two different values. Each time the property is set, the appropriate observer methods are called with the appropriate values.

• 🟩 What are raw strings?

  Answer

  A raw string is a string literal that allows us to include characters that would normally be interpreted as escape sequences, without the need for additional escaping. In Swift, they are enclosed in triple quotes ("""), and any characters within the string are interpreted literally, except for the closing triple quotes.

  Here's an example of a raw string in Swift:

  let rawString = """
  This is a raw string.
  It can include "quotes" and newlines.
  You don't need to escape them.
  """

  In this example, the rawString variable is assigned a raw string literal, which contains multiple lines of text, including double quotes and a newline character. Because the string is enclosed in triple quotes, the quotes and newline are interpreted literally, without the need for additional escaping.

• 🟩 What does the #error compiler directive do?

  Answer

  The #error compiler directive in Swift is used to generate a compile-time error message. It is used to indicate that a particular block of code should not be compiled, and to provide an error message to the developer explaining why.

  The syntax of the #error directive is as follows:

  #error("Error message")

  Here's an example of how we might use the #error directive in Swift:

  #if os(macOS)
      // Do some macOS-specific stuff
  #elseif os(iOS)
      // Do some iOS-specific stuff
  #else
      #error("Unsupported platform")
  #endif

  In this example, the code checks the operating system using the os compiler directive. If the OS is macOS or iOS, it executes the appropriate code. If the OS is neither of those, it generates a compile-time error with the message "Unsupported platform".

  Using the #error directive can be helpful in catching issues early on in the development process, by preventing code that is not compatible with a particular platform or environment from being compiled.

• 🟩 What does the #if swift syntax do?

  Answer

  The #if swift syntax is a compiler directive in Swift that allows conditional compilation based on the version of the Swift language being used.

  This syntax is typically used to ensure compatibility with different versions of the Swift language, and to enable or disable certain blocks of code depending on the version being used.

  Here's an example of how we might use the #if swift directive:

  #if swift(>=5.0)
      // Code that is only available in Swift 5.0 or later
  #elseif swift(>=4.0)
      // Code that is only available in Swift 4.0 or later
  #else
      // Code that is only available in earlier versions of Swift
  #endif

  In this example, the #if swift directive is used to conditionally compile code based on the version of Swift being used. If the version is 5.0 or later, the first block of code will be executed. If the version is between 4.0 and 5.0, the second block of code will be executed. If the version is earlier than 4.0, the third block of code will be executed.

  The #if swift directive is a powerful tool for ensuring that our code is compatible with multiple versions of the Swift language, and for enabling or disabling certain features based on the version being used.

• 🟩 What does the assert() function do?

  Answer

  In Swift, the assert() function is used to assert that a certain condition is true during runtime. If the condition evaluates to false, an assertion failure will occur, causing the program to terminate immediately.

  The syntax for the assert() function is as follows:

  assert(_:_:file:line:)

  The first parameter is the condition to test, the second is an optional message to display if the assertion fails, and the last two parameters specify the file and line number where the assertion occurred.

  Here's an example of how we might use the assert() function:

  func divide(_ a: Int, by b: Int) -> Int {
      assert(b != 0, "Cannot divide by zero")
      return a / b
  }
   
  let result = divide(10, by: 5) // Returns 2
  let invalidResult = divide(10, by: 0) // Assertion failure: "Cannot divide by zero"

  In this example, the assert() function is used to ensure that the divisor (b) is not zero when dividing a by b. If the divisor is zero, the assertion fails with the message "Cannot divide by zero", and the program terminates immediately.

  The assert() function is a powerful tool for catching programming errors early on during runtime, and for ensuring that certain conditions are met before executing important code. It should be used judiciously to catch errors during development, but should be disabled or removed from production code to avoid unnecessary crashes.

• 🟩 What does the canImport() compiler condition do?

  Answer

  In Swift, the canImport() compiler condition is used to check whether a certain module can be imported. This is useful when we want to conditionally import a module based on whether it is available or not.

  The syntax for the canImport() condition is as follows:

  #if canImport(moduleName)
      // Code that will be executed if the module can be imported
  #else
      // Code that will be executed if the module cannot be imported
  #endif

  In this syntax, moduleName is the name of the module that we want to check for. If the module can be imported, the code in the first block will be executed; otherwise, the code in the second block will be executed.

  Here's an example of how we might use the canImport() condition:

  #if canImport(FoundationNetworking)
      import FoundationNetworking
   
      let url = URL(string: "https://www.example.com")!
      let request = URLRequest(url: url)
   
      let task = URLSession.shared.dataTask(with: request) { data, response, error in
          // ...
      }
   
      task.resume()
  #else
      // Fallback code for older versions of Swift that do not have FoundationNetworking
  #endif

  This ensures that the URLSession code is only executed when the FoundationNetworking module is available.

• 🟩 What does the CaseIterable protocol do?

  Answer

  CaseIterable protocol is a Swift protocol used to provide a collection of all the cases of an enumeration type.

  By conforming an enumeration to CaseIterable, the enumeration automatically gains a static allCases property, which is an array containing all the enumeration's cases. The cases in the array are ordered in the order in which they were declared in the enumeration definition.

  Here's an example of an enumeration that conforms to CaseIterable:

  enum CompassDirection: CaseIterable {
      case north, south, east, west
  }
   
  // Access all the cases using the allCases property
  for direction in CompassDirection.allCases {
      print(direction)
  }

  In this example, the CompassDirection enumeration is defined with four cases: north, south, east, and west. By conforming the enumeration to CaseIterable, the allCases property is automatically generated. The for loop at the bottom of the example uses this property to iterate over all the enumeration's cases and print them to the console.

  CaseIterable is especially useful when we need to perform operations on all cases of an enumeration, for example, when we need to display all the options in a UI or validate that a user input is one of the valid cases.

• 🟩 What does the final keyword do, and why would you want to use it?

  Answer

  In Swift, the final keyword is used to indicate that a class, property, or method cannot be subclassed, overridden, or modified by any other class or method.

  When we declare a class as final, it means that we are not going to subclass it in the future. When we declare a method or property as final, it means that we are not going to override it in any subclass.

  Here are some examples:

  final class MyClass {
      // This class cannot be subclassed
  }
   
  class BaseClass {
      // This method can be overridden in a subclass
      func myMethod() {
          // ...
      }
   
      // This method cannot be overridden in a subclass
      final func myFinalMethod() {
          // ...
      }
  }

  The main reason to use the final keyword is to prevent other developers from modifying our code in ways that could cause bugs or introduce unexpected behavior. By marking a class, property, or method as final, we are ensuring that its behavior will not change unexpectedly in subclasses or extensions. This can be particularly important in larger codebases where multiple developers are working on the same project.

  In addition to providing safety, marking classes, methods, and properties as final can also improve performance. When the Swift compiler sees that a class or method is final, it can make certain optimizations that would not be possible otherwise. This can result in faster code execution and lower memory usage.

• 🟩 What does the nil coalescing operator do?

  Answer

  The nil coalescing operator (??) is a shorthand way of unwrapping an optional value in Swift. Its purpose is to provide a default value for an optional if it is nil, so that we can avoid unexpected crashes or errors when working with optionals.

  Here's the syntax for the nil coalescing operator:

  a ?? b

  In this expression, a is an optional value, and b is a default value that will be used if a is nil. If a is not nil, its value will be unwrapped and returned. If a is nil, then the value of b will be returned instead.

  Here's an example:

  let optionalName: String? = "John"
  let greeting = "Hello, \(optionalName ?? "Anonymous")!"
  print(greeting) // prints "Hello, John!"

  In this example, we have an optional string optionalName, which may or may not have a value. We use the nil coalescing operator to provide a default value of "Anonymous" if optionalName is nil. The resulting string is then used to construct a greeting.

  The nil coalescing operator can be very useful in situations where we need to provide a default value for an optional, or when we need to combine multiple optional values into a single expression. It can help us write more concise and readable code, while also improving the safety and reliability of our code by handling nil values gracefully.

• 🟩 What is the difference between if let and guard let?

  Answer

  Both if let and guard let are used in Swift to safely unwrap optional values, but they differ in how they handle execution flow.

  if let is used to conditionally bind the unwrapped optional to a new non-optional variable. If the optional has a value, the condition evaluates to true, and the block of code inside the if statement is executed. If the optional is nil, the condition evaluates to false, and the code inside the if statement is skipped.

  Here's an example using if let:

  let optionalName: String? = "John"
   
  if let name = optionalName {
      print("Hello, \(name)!")
  } else {
      print("Hello, stranger!")
  }

  In this example, we use if let to conditionally bind the optional optionalName to a new non-optional constant name. If optionalName has a value, the constant name is set to that value, and the code inside the if statement is executed. If optionalName is nil, the code inside the else statement is executed.

  guard let, on the other hand, is used to ensure that an optional has a value. If the optional has a value, the unwrapped value is assigned to a new non-optional variable, and the execution continues after the guard statement. If the optional is nil, the guard statement fails, and the execution branches to the else statement, which typically contains a return, break, or throw statement.

  Here's an example using guard let:

  func greet(_ optionalName: String?) {
      guard let name = optionalName else {
          print("Please provide a name.")
          return
      }
      print("Hello, \(name)!")
  }
   
  greet(nil) // prints "Please provide a name."
  greet("John") // prints "Hello, John!"

  In this example, we use guard let to ensure that the optional optionalName has a value. If it is nil, the guard statement fails, and the code inside the else statement is executed, which prints an error message and returns from the function. If optionalName has a value, the constant name is set to that value, and the code inside the function continues executing.

  In summary, if let is used to conditionally execute code based on the presence of an optional value, while guard let is used to ensure that an optional has a value and to exit early from a scope if it doesn't.

• 🟩 What is the difference between try, try?, and try! in Swift?

  Answer

  In Swift, try, try?, and try! are used to handle errors that can be thrown by a function or method call that is marked as throws. Here are the differences between them:

  1. try: This is used when we want to execute a throwing function or method and handle the errors that can be thrown using a do-catch block. The try keyword is placed before the function or method call that can throw an error.
  2. try?: This is used when we want to call a throwing function or method and convert any error that is thrown into an optional value. If the function or method call returns a value, it will be wrapped in an optional. If an error is thrown, the result will be nil.
  3. try!: This is used when we are absolutely certain that the function or method call will not throw an error, and we want to force the result to be unwrapped. If an error is thrown, our program will crash with a runtime error.

  In general, it is recommended to use try and handle errors using a do-catch block whenever possible, as this provides better error handling and makes our code more robust. try? and try! should be used sparingly, and only when we are sure that the function or method call will never fail.

• 🟩 What problem does optional chaining solve?

  Answer

  In Swift, optional chaining is used to solve the problem of accessing properties or methods of an optional value, without having to manually unwrap the optional. Optional chaining provides a way to check if an optional value contains a non-nil value before accessing its properties or methods.

  Consider the following example:

  class Person {
      var name: String
      var address: Address?
    
      init(name: String) {
          self.name = name
      }
  }
   
  class Address {
      var street: String
      var city: String
      var state: String
    
      init(street: String, city: String, state: String) {
          self.street = street
          self.city = city
          self.state = state
      }
  }
   
  let person = Person(name: "John")
  let state = person.address?.state

  In the above example, person.address is an optional value of type Address?. If we want to access the state property of the Address instance, we need to manually unwrap the optional by using an if let or guard let statement. However, this can be cumbersome and repetitive, especially if we need to access nested properties or methods.

  With optional chaining, we can use the ?. operator to access the state property of person.address, like this:

  let state = person.address?.state

  If person.address is nil, the entire expression will evaluate to nil, and the state constant will be set to nil. Optional chaining allows us to safely access the properties and methods of an optional value, without having to worry about unwrapping it manually or causing a runtime error if the value is nil.

• 🟩 What's the difference between String? and String! in Swift?

  Answer

  In Swift, String? and String! are both optional types, but they differ in how they are unwrapped.

  • String? is an optional that may contain a String value or nil. To access the value, we need to use optional binding (e.g. if let str = optionalString { ... }) or force unwrap the optional (e.g. let str = optionalString!). Using ! to force unwrap an optional that is nil will result in a runtime error.
  • String! is an implicitly unwrapped optional. It is an optional that is automatically unwrapped when it is accessed. This means we can use it like a non-optional value (e.g. let strLength = optionalString.count), but if the optional is nil and we try to access it, a runtime error will occur.

  Implicitly unwrapped optionals are useful when we have a value that is guaranteed to be set before it is accessed, but still need to be represented as an optional due to the initialization process. They are commonly used in situations where a value is set up in init, but is not available during the initialization phase. However, they should be used with caution as they can lead to runtime errors if the optional is unexpectedly nil. In general, it is safer to use regular optionals and unwrap them explicitly.

• 🟩 When would you use the guard keyword in Swift?

  Answer

  We would use the guard keyword in Swift to improve the readability and clarity of our code, especially when dealing with error conditions, optionals, or validation of certain conditions.

  The guard statement is similar to the if statement, but it is used to check if a condition is false or if a value is nil. The key difference is that when the condition fails, the guard statement requires us to exit the current scope, either by returning, throwing an error, or using continue, break, or fallthrough. This ensures that we handle the error condition as early as possible and avoid nested conditional statements.

  Here's an example of using guard to check if a string is not nil and not empty, and then perform some operation on it:

  func processString(str: String?) {
      guard let string = str, !string.isEmpty else {
          print("Error: String is empty or nil.")
          return
      }
    
      // Perform some operation on the non-empty string
      print("Processing string: \(string)")
  }

  In this example, if the str parameter is nil or empty, the guard statement will print an error message and return from the function. Otherwise, it will unwrap the optional string and bind it to a constant string, which can then be used safely in the subsequent code block.

• 🟧 Apart from the built-in ones, can you give an example of property wrappers?

  Answer

  There are many third-party property wrappers available in the Swift ecosystem. Here is an example of a custom property wrapper:

  @propertyWrapper
  struct Clamped<Value: Comparable> {
      var value: Value
      let range: ClosedRange<Value>
    
      init(wrappedValue: Value, range: ClosedRange<Value>) {
          self.value = min(max(wrappedValue, range.lowerBound), range.upperBound)
          self.range = range
      }
    
      var wrappedValue: Value {
          get { value }
          set { value = min(max(newValue, range.lowerBound), range.upperBound) }
      }
  }

  In this example, we have defined a property wrapper called Clamped that ensures the value of the property is always within a given range. It takes a generic Value parameter that must conform to the Comparable protocol. It also has a range property that specifies the allowed range of values.

  The Clamped property wrapper has two methods: init(wrappedValue:range:) and wrappedValue. The init method initializes the value of the property to the wrapped value, clamped to the allowed range. The wrappedValue method provides the getter and setter for the property, which ensures that any new value is clamped to the allowed range.

  Here's an example of how to use the Clamped property wrapper:

  struct MyStruct {
      @Clamped(range: 0...10) var value: Int
  }
   
  var myStruct = MyStruct()
  myStruct.value = 15 // value will be clamped to 10
  print(myStruct.value) // 10
  myStruct.value = -5 // value will be clamped to 0
  print(myStruct.value) // 0

  In this example, we define a struct MyStruct with a property called value that is decorated with the Clamped property wrapper. We specify the allowed range as 0...10. When we assign a value to myStruct.value, it will automatically be clamped to the allowed range.

• 🟧 Can you give useful examples of enum associated values?

  Answer

  1. Error handling: An enum with associated values is commonly used in Swift for error handling. For example, the Result type in Swift's standard library uses an enum with two associated values to represent either a successful value or an error value. Here's an example:

     enum Result<T, Error> {
         case success(T)
         case failure(Error)
     }

     This enum allows us to represent the result of an operation that can either succeed with a value of type T, or fail with an error of type Error.

  2. API responses: enums with associated values can also be used to model API responses in Swift. For example, if we're working with an API that returns different types of responses depending on the endpoint, we could define an enum with associated values to represent each possible response. Here's an example:

     enum APIResponse {
         case success(data: Data)
         case error(code: Int, message: String)
     }

     This enum allows us to represent the response from an API endpoint that can either return a successful response with some Data, or an error response with an error code and an error message.

  3. Navigation: enums with associated values can be used to model navigation in an iOS app. For example, we could define an enum with associated values to represent different screens in our app. Here's an example:

     enum Screen {
         case home
         case profile(username: String)
         case settings(isLoggedIn: Bool)
     }

     This enum allows us to represent different screens in our app, such as the home screen, the user profile screen (with a username associated value), or the settings screen (with an isLoggedIn associated value). We can use this enum to navigate between screens in our app.

• 🟧 How would you explain closures to a new Swift developer?

  Answer

  Closures in Swift are self-contained blocks of code that can be passed around and used in our code just like any other variable or constant. Think of them like functions that we can define inline and then use them whenever and wherever we need them.

  Closures are useful because they can capture and store references to any constants and variables from the surrounding context in which they are defined. This makes them particularly powerful for tasks such as sorting and filtering arrays, as well as handling asynchronous tasks and callbacks.

  To define a closure in Swift, we use curly braces "{}" and the "in" keyword to separate the closure's parameters and return type from its body. Here's a simple example:

  let closureExample = { (parameter1: Int, parameter2: Int) -> Int in
      return parameter1 + parameter2
  }

  In this example, we define a closure that takes two integer parameters and returns their sum. We can then call this closure later in our code like any other function, such as:

  let result = closureExample(1, 2)
  print(result) // Output: 3

• 🟧 What are generics and why are they useful?

  Answer

  Generics allow us to write flexible, reusable functions and types that can work with different types of data. With generics, we can define functions and types that can operate on a range of different data types, without having to rewrite the code for each type. This can help reduce code duplication and improve code readability.

  Generics are especially useful when we need to create functions or data structures that can work with different types of data, such as arrays, dictionaries, or sorting algorithms. For example, we could write a function to sort an array of integers, and then reuse that same function to sort an array of strings, without having to rewrite the sorting algorithm.

  Here's a simple example of a generic function that takes an array of any type and returns the largest element:

  func findLargestElement<T: Comparable>(in array: [T]) -> T? {
      guard !array.isEmpty else {
          return nil
      }
      return array.max()
  }

  In this example, the generic type parameter T is constrained to be Comparable, which means that we can use the > and < operator to compare elements of the array. The function takes an array of type [T] and returns the largest element of type T, or nil if the array is empty.

  To use the function, we can pass in an array of any type that conforms to the Comparable protocol, such as integers, doubles, or strings:

  let numbers = [1, 4, 2, 5, 3]
  let largestNumber = findLargestElement(in: numbers)
  print(largestNumber) // Output: Optional(5)
   
  let names = ["John", "Alice", "Bob", "Eve"]
  let largestName = findLargestElement(in: names)
  print(largestName) // Output: Optional("John")

  Generics allow us to write flexible and reusable code that can work with different types of data, making our code more concise and easier to maintain.

• 🟧 What are multi-pattern catch clauses?

  Answer

  Multi-pattern catch clauses are a feature in Swift that allows us to catch and handle different types of errors with a single catch block. In previous versions of Swift, we would need to write multiple catch blocks to handle different types of errors, which could result in redundant code.

  With multi-pattern catch clauses, we can catch and handle multiple types of errors in a single catch block by using a comma-separated list of patterns. Here's an example:

  do {
    // some code that can throw different types of errors
  } catch is NetworkError, is DatabaseError {
      // handle network and database errors
  } catch {
      // handle other types of errors
  }

  In this example, we use the is operator to specify two different types of errors that can be thrown: NetworkError and DatabaseError. If either of these errors are thrown, the first catch block will be executed to handle the error. If another type of error is thrown, the second catch block will be executed to handle the error.

  Multi-pattern catch clauses can help reduce code duplication and make error handling more concise and readable. However, it's important to use them judiciously, as too many patterns in a single catch block can make it harder to understand and maintain our code.

• 🟧 What does the @main attribute do?

  Answer

  In Swift, the @main attribute is used to mark a specific class as the entry point for the application. This attribute was introduced in Swift 5.3 and replaces the traditional main.swift file that was used to define the entry point in earlier versions of Swift.

  When we mark a class with the @main attribute, the Swift compiler generates a main function that instantiates an instance of the marked class and invokes its main method. This allows us to define our application's entry point using a regular class, rather than a separate file.

  Here's an example of how to use the @main attribute:

  @main
  struct MyApplication {
      static func main() {
          // application code here
      }
  }

  In this example, we define a MyApplication struct and mark it with the @main attribute. We then define a main method inside the struct, which is automatically invoked when the application is launched.

  The @main attribute can be used to mark any type that conforms to the App protocol, which requires the implementation of a main method. This protocol provides a default implementation of the main method, so we don't have to define it ourselves.

  Using the @main attribute can simplify the structure of our application by allowing us to define the entry point in the same file as the rest of our code. It can also make our code more readable by making it clear where the application starts.

• 🟧 What does the #available syntax do?

  Answer

  In Swift, the #available syntax is used to conditionally check whether a certain API or feature is available on the current platform or version of iOS, macOS, or other platforms supported by Swift.

  The #available syntax allows us to write code that can handle different versions of the operating system or platform, while still taking advantage of new features or APIs when they are available. Here's an example:

  if #available(iOS 14, macOS 11, *) {
      // use new API or feature only available in iOS 14 and macOS 11
  } else {
      // use older API or feature for backward compatibility
  }

  In this example, we use the #available syntax to check whether the new API or feature is available on the current platform. If it is available (i.e., the current platform is iOS 14 or macOS 11), we can use it. If it is not available, we can fall back to an older API or feature that is still supported on the current platform.

  The #available syntax takes a comma-separated list of operating system or platform names and version numbers, followed by an asterisk (*) that represents any other platforms that are not explicitly listed. We can also use the @available attribute to mark a function or variable as being available on certain platforms.

  Using the #available syntax is important for writing code that can be run on different platforms and versions of the operating system. By using this syntax, we can ensure that our code works correctly and takes advantage of new features when they are available, while still providing backward compatibility for older versions of the platform.

• 🟧 What is a variadic function?

  Answer

  In Swift, a variadic function is a function that can accept any number of arguments of the same type. The number of arguments passed to the function can vary at runtime, and the function can process them as a single collection of values.

  To define a variadic function in Swift, we need to use the ellipsis (...) after the argument's type. Here's an example:

  func printNumbers(_ numbers: Int...) {
      for number in numbers {
          print(number)
      }
  }

  In this example, the printNumbers function takes an arbitrary number of integer arguments using the Int... syntax. The function can then iterate over the collection of values passed in and print them to the console.

  To call a variadic function, we can pass any number of values of the specified type, separated by commas. For example:

  printNumbers(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

  This call to the printNumbers function passes five integer values as arguments, and the function prints them to the console.

  Variadic functions can be useful for working with collections of values, such as arrays or lists, or for providing flexible interfaces that can accept a variable number of arguments. They are commonly used in Swift standard library functions, such as print and min, and can be a powerful tool for simplifying our code and making it more flexible.

• 🟧 What is the difference between weak and unowned?

  Answer

  In Swift, both weak and unowned are used to declare a weak reference to an object, which allows the object to be deallocated if there are no other strong references to it. However, there are some differences between weak and unowned:

  • weak creates an optional reference, while unowned creates a non-optional reference. This means that a weak reference can be nil, while an unowned reference can never be nil.
  • weak references must be declared as optional types using the question mark (?), while unowned references are declared as non-optional types using the exclamation mark (!).
  • weak references are automatically set to nil when the referenced object is deallocated, while unowned references can cause a runtime error if they are accessed after the referenced object has been deallocated.

  Here is an example of how to use weak and unowned references:

  class Person {
      var name: String
      weak var spouse: Person?
      unowned let mother: Person
    
      init(name: String, mother: Person) {
          self.name = name
          self.mother = mother
      }
    
      deinit {
          print("\(name) is being deallocated")
      }
  }
   
  var alice: Person? = Person(name: "Alice", mother: Person(name: "Eve", mother: nil))
  var bob: Person? = Person(name: "Bob", mother: alice!)
   
  alice?.spouse = bob
  bob?.spouse = alice
   
  alice = nil
  bob = nil

  In this example, we have two instances of the Person class, alice and bob. alice has a weak reference to bob via the spouse property, while bob has a weak reference to alice via the same property. alice also has an unowned reference to her mother instance, which is a required parameter of the Person initializer.

  When we set alice and bob to nil, both instances of the Person class are deallocated. Since alice and bob have weak references to each other, they are both able to be deallocated. If alice had an unowned reference to bob instead of a weak reference, we would get a runtime error when trying to access the spouse property after bob has been deallocated.

• 🟧 What is the difference between an escaping closure and a non-escaping closure?

  Answer

  The main difference between an escaping closure and a non-escaping closure in Swift is related to their lifetime and how they are used within a function.

  A non-escaping closure is a closure that is guaranteed to be executed synchronously within the same function scope in which it is passed. This means that the closure is executed while the function is still running, and it is not stored or used outside the function. Non-escaping closures are the default in Swift, which means that we don't need to use any special annotations to mark them.

  An escaping closure, on the other hand, is a closure that is allowed to escape the function scope and be called after the function has returned. This means that the closure is executed at a later time, possibly on a different thread, and it may be stored or used outside the function. To indicate that a closure is escaping, we need to mark it with the @escaping attribute.

  Here's an example that shows the difference between an escaping and a non-escaping closure:

  func performOperationNonEscaping(withNumber number: Int, operation: (Int) -> Int) -> Int {
      // The closure is executed synchronously within the function scope
      let result = operation(number)
      return result
  }
   
  func performOperationEscaping(withNumber number: Int, operation: @escaping (Int) -> Int) {
      // The closure is stored and executed asynchronously outside of the function scope
      DispatchQueue.main.async {
          let result = operation(number)
          print(result)
      }
  }
   
  // Example usage of the non-escaping closure
  let square = performOperationNonEscaping(withNumber: 5) { (num) -> Int in
      return num * num
  }
  print(square) // Output: 25
   
  // Example usage of the escaping closure
  performOperationEscaping(withNumber: 5) { (num) -> Int in
      return num * num
  }

  In this example, performOperationNonEscaping takes a non-escaping closure that squares a number synchronously within the same function. On the other hand, performOperationEscaping takes an escaping closure that squares a number asynchronously on a different thread, after the function has returned. The DispatchQueue.main.async call ensures that the closure is executed on the main thread, which is required for UI updates.

  In general, non-escaping closures are simpler and safer to use than escaping closures because they don't require extra memory management considerations. However, escaping closures are necessary when we need to perform asynchronous operations, such as networking or animation, and we need to handle the results of those operations at a later time.

• 🟧 What is the difference between an extension and a protocol extension?

  Answer

  In Swift, an extension is a mechanism for adding functionality to an existing class, structure, enumeration, or protocol. An extension can add new computed properties, methods, initializers, subscripts, and nested types to the extended type. An extension can also conform a type to a protocol or add conformance to an existing protocol.

  A protocol extension, on the other hand, is a way to provide default implementations for a protocol's requirements. Protocol extensions can add new methods, properties, subscripts, and associated types to a protocol, and provide default implementations for them. Protocol extensions can also provide default implementations for protocol methods and properties, which can be overridden by the adopting types if needed.

  The main difference between an extension and a protocol extension is their purpose and scope. An extension is used to add functionality to a specific type, while a protocol extension is used to provide default implementations for a protocol's requirements that can be used by multiple types that conform to the protocol.

  Here's an example to illustrate the difference:

  protocol Printable {
      var description: String { get }
  }
   
  struct Person {
      let name: String
  }
   
  extension Person: Printable {
      var description: String {
          return "Person - Name: \(name)"
      }
  }
   
  extension Printable {
      func printDescription() {
          print(description)
      }
  }
   
  let person = Person(name: "John")
  person.printDescription() // Output: Person - Name: John

  In this example, we have a Printable protocol that defines a description property. We then extend the Person struct to conform to the Printable protocol, and provide a custom implementation of the description property.

  Next, we define a protocol extension for Printable that adds a printDescription() method with a default implementation that prints the description property. Finally, we create an instance of Person and call the printDescription() method on it, which is provided by the protocol extension.

  As we can see, the extension on Person is used to add functionality to a specific type, while the protocol extension on Printable provides default implementation that can be used by multiple types that conform to the Printable protocol.

• 🟧 When would you use the defer keyword in Swift?

  Answer

  In Swift, the defer keyword is used to execute a set of statements when the current scope is exited. The defer statement is executed regardless of whether the scope is exited normally or due to an error.

  Here are some common scenarios where we might use defer:

  1. Resource Cleanup: We can use defer to ensure that resources such as files, network connections, and database connections are properly closed or released, regardless of how a function or method exits. For example:

     func readFile(atPath path: String) throws -> String {
       let file = try FileHandle(forReadingFrom: URL(fileURLWithPath: path))
       defer {
         file.closeFile()
       }
       let data = file.readDataToEndOfFile()
       return String(data: data, encoding: .utf8)!
     }

  In this example, we use the defer statement to ensure that the file handle is closed, regardless of whether the function throws an error or not.

  2. Resource Acquisition: We can use defer to acquire a resource at the beginning of a function or method and release it at the end. This can be useful to ensure that resources are properly acquired and released in a function or method. For example:

     func doSomething() throws {
       let lock = NSLock()
       lock.lock()
       defer {
         lock.unlock()
       }
       // Do something that requires the lock
     }

  In this example, we use the defer statement to release the lock at the end of the function.

  3. Clean-Up: We can use defer to perform clean-up tasks such as resetting state or logging. For example:

     func process(request: URLRequest) -> Data? {
       // Set up some state
       defer {
         // Clean up state
       }
       // Do some processing
     }

  In this example, we use defer to ensure that the state is cleaned up at the end of the function, regardless of whether the processing succeeds or not.

  In summary, we can use defer to ensure that certain actions are performed at the end of a scope, regardless of how the scope is exited. This can be useful for resource cleanup, resource acquisition, and clean-up tasks.

• 🟥 How would you explain key paths to a new Swift developer?

  Answer

  Key paths in Swift are a way to reference and manipulate properties of an object in a type-safe manner. They provide a concise way to get and set properties without having to write boilerplate code.

  A key path is essentially a reference to a property of a type, represented as a path of property names separated by dots, e.g. \Person.name. Key paths are strongly typed, meaning that the type of the key path is determined by the type of the property it refers to.

  One way to use key paths is to access or modify properties of an object. For example:

  struct Person {
    var name: String
    var age: Int
  }
   
  var person = Person(name: "John", age: 30)
   
  let nameKeyPath = \Person.name
  let ageKeyPath = \Person.age
   
  print(person[keyPath: nameKeyPath]) // Output: John
   
  person[keyPath: nameKeyPath] = "Jane"
  person[keyPath: ageKeyPath] = 35
   
  print(person) // Output: Person(name: "Jane", age: 35)

  In this example, we define a Person struct with name and age properties. We then create an instance of Person and store it in the person variable.

  Next, we define two key paths: nameKeyPath and ageKeyPath, which reference the name and age properties of Person, respectively.

  We then use the key paths to access and modify the corresponding properties of the person object. We use the subscript syntax with the keyPath parameter to access or modify the property.

  Another way to use key paths is with higher-order functions, such as map, filter, and reduce. For example:

  let people = [
    Person(name: "John", age: 30),
    Person(name: "Jane", age: 35),
    Person(name: "Mike", age: 25)
  ]
   
  let names = people.map(\.name)
   
  print(names) // Output: ["John", "Jane", "Mike"]

  In this example, we have an array of Person objects. We use the map function with the \Person.name key path to create a new array that contains only the names of the people in the original array.

  In short, key paths are a powerful tool in Swift programming, allowing for more concise and type-safe code.

• 🟥 What are conditional conformances?

  Answer

  In Swift, a protocol can have a set of requirements that a conforming type must implement. However, sometimes we want to specify additional requirements that only apply to certain types that conform to the protocol. This is where conditional conformances come in.

  Conditional conformances allow us to add additional constraints to a protocol conformance that apply only in certain contexts. In other words, a type will only conform to the protocol under certain conditions.

  For example, suppose we have a protocol called EquatableToSelf that requires a type to be Equatable with itself. We can define this protocol as follows:

  protocol EquatableToSelf {
      static func == (lhs: Self, rhs: Self) -> Bool
  }

  Now, suppose we have a struct called Box that wraps a value of any type:

  struct Box<T> {
      var value: T
  }

  We want to make Box conform to EquatableToSelf only if the wrapped value is equatable with itself. We can achieve this using a conditional conformance, like this:

  extension Box: EquatableToSelf where T: Equatable {
      static func == (lhs: Box<T>, rhs: Box<T>) -> Bool {
          return lhs.value == rhs.value
      }
  }

  Here, we use the where clause to specify that the conformance only applies if T is Equatable. We can then define the == operator for Box<T> by comparing the wrapped values.

  Conditional conformances can be a powerful tool for designing generic code that works with a variety of types while still maintaining type safety. They allow us to add additional requirements to protocol conformances in a flexible and expressive way.

• 🟥 What are opaque return types?

  Answer

  Opaque return types, introduced in Swift 5.1, allow us to declare a function's return type as a placeholder rather than a concrete type. The placeholder is an "opaque" type that hides the underlying implementation details of the return type, making the interface simpler and more flexible.

  An opaque return type is defined using the some keyword followed by a protocol or a class, like this:

  func makeShape() -> some Shape {
      return Circle(radius: 10)
  }

  Here, the makeShape function returns a value that conforms to the Shape protocol, but the concrete type is not revealed to the caller. This means that the implementation of makeShape can be changed in the future without affecting the caller's code, as long as the new implementation still returns a value that conforms to the Shape protocol.

  Opaque return types are particularly useful when we want to return a type that is only known to the implementation of the function, but not to the caller. For example, we might have a function that creates and returns a view, but the type of the view depends on the implementation details of the function:

  func makeView() -> some View {
      if someCondition {
          return Button("OK") { }
      } else {
          return Text("Hello, world!")
      }
  }

  Here, the concrete type of the view returned by makeView depends on the value of someCondition, which is not known to the caller. By using an opaque return type, we can hide this implementation detail and present a simpler and more flexible interface to the caller.

• 🟥 What are result builders and when are they used in Swift?

  Answer

  Result builders, introduced in Swift 5.4, are a feature that allows us to declaratively build a complex data structure, such as a view hierarchy, using a concise syntax that looks like a combination of code and markup.

  Result builders are essentially a way to transform a series of expressions and statements into a single value of a specific type. They are implemented using a combination of function builders and property wrappers, which provide a way to collect and transform a sequence of values into a final result.

  In SwiftUI, result builders are used to declaratively build user interfaces, as shown in the following example:

  struct ContentView: View {
      var body: some View {
          VStack {
              Text("Hello, World!")
              Button("Press me") {
                  print("Button pressed")
              }
          }
      }
  }

  In this example, the VStack and Button views are created using a declarative syntax that resembles HTML. The body property of the ContentView struct returns a some View, which is a type-erased view that can represent any view hierarchy.

  Under the hood, the VStack and Button views are created using result builders, which transform the declarative syntax into a series of function calls and property assignments. The result builders also allow for conditional and iterative logic, as well as other advanced features.

  In addition to SwiftUI, result builders can be used in any context where we want to declaratively build a complex data structure using a concise and readable syntax.

• 🟥 What does the targetEnvironment() compiler condition do?

  Answer

  The targetEnvironment() compiler condition is a part of Swift's build configuration system that allows developers to check the target environment of their code at compile-time. This is useful when writing code that is intended to run on multiple platforms or operating systems, as different platforms may require different code paths or behaviors.

  The targetEnvironment() condition takes a single argument, which can be one of several predefined values:

  • simulator: Evaluates to true when the code is being compiled for a simulator platform, such as the iOS Simulator or the macOS Simulator.
  • macCatalyst: Evaluates to true when the code is being compiled for a Mac Catalyst app, which is an iOS app that has been adapted to run on macOS.
  • os: Evaluates to true when the code is being compiled for a specific operating system, such as os(macOS) or os(iOS).
  • arch: Evaluates to true when the code is being compiled for a specific processor architecture, such as arch(x86_64) or arch(arm64).

  Here is an example of how to use the targetEnvironment() condition in Swift:

  #if targetEnvironment(macCatalyst)
      // Code to run when compiling for Mac Catalyst
  #elseif os(iOS)
      // Code to run when compiling for iOS
  #elseif os(macOS)
      // Code to run when compiling for macOS
  #else
      // Code to run for other platforms
  #endif

  By using the targetEnvironment() condition, developers can write code that adapts to the specific target environment at compile-time, which can help ensure that the code runs correctly and efficiently on each platform.

• 🟥 What is the difference between self and Self?

  Answer

  In Swift, self (with a lowercase "s") refers to the current instance of a class, struct, or enum, while Self (with an uppercase "S") refers to the type of the current instance.

  The self keyword is commonly used within an instance method or initializer to refer to the instance itself, for example:

  class Person {
      var name: String
    
      init(name: String) {
          self.name = name // "self" refers to the current instance of Person
      }
  }

  On the other hand, Self is typically used when defining a method or property that returns an instance of the current type. This is known as a "static dispatch" or "static return type" because the type is determined at compile-time rather than run-time. Here's an example:

  class Animal {
      static func create() -> Self {
          return self.init()
      }
  }
   
  class Dog: Animal {
      var name: String
    
      init(name: String) {
          self.name = name
      }
  }
   
  let myDog = Dog.create() // "create" returns a Dog instance

  In this example, the create method on the Animal class returns an instance of the current type (Self) using the init method. When the create method is called on the Dog class, it returns an instance of Dog.

  So, in summary, self refers to the current instance of a class, struct, or enum, while Self refers to the type of the current instance.

• 🟥 When would you use @autoclosure?

  Answer

  In Swift, the @autoclosure attribute is used to automatically wrap an expression in a closure. This means that the expression is not evaluated until it is called, allowing for deferred execution and lazy evaluation.

  We would use @autoclosure when we want to defer the evaluation of an expression until it is actually needed. This can be useful in certain situations where the expression is expensive to evaluate, or when we want to avoid evaluating the expression unless it is necessary.

  For example, let's say we have a function that takes a closure as a parameter. If the closure takes a long time to execute, we can use @autoclosure to defer the execution of the closure until it is actually needed. Here's an example:

  func performOperation(_ operation: @autoclosure () -> Void) {
      // Do some work here
    
      // Call the closure
      operation()
    
      // Do some more work here
  }
   
  performOperation(print("Hello, world!"))

  In this example, the print("Hello, world!") expression is automatically wrapped in a closure using @autoclosure, so it is not evaluated until it is called inside the performOperation function. This allows us to defer the execution of the print statement until it is actually needed, which can be useful in certain situations.

  Note that @autoclosure should be used with care, as it can lead to unexpected behavior if used incorrectly. It is generally best to use it only for expressions that are cheap to evaluate and have no side effects.

(back to top)

SwiftUI

• 🟩 How would you explain SwiftUI’s environment to a new developer?

  Answer

  In SwiftUI, the Environment is a powerful feature that allows us to share data and configuration settings across our app. Think of it as a way to pass down a set of values or objects to all the views in our app without having to pass them down explicitly.

  The Environment is a key-value store that can hold any type of data. SwiftUI provides some built-in keys, such as .colorScheme or .locale, that can be used to access system-level settings like the user's preferred color scheme or language. However, we can also define our own keys to store and retrieve custom data or objects.

  One of the main benefits of using the Environment is that it allows we to create a consistent user interface throughout our app. For example, we might use the .font environment key to set a default font for all our app's text views. If the user changes the font size in the system settings, all the text in our app will automatically update to reflect the new font size.

  We can also use the Environment to create theming systems, where we define a set of colors or styles that can be applied to all the views in our app. By changing the values in the Environment, we can switch between different themes and instantly update the appearance of our app.

• 🟩 What does the @Published property wrapper do?

  Answer

  The @Published property wrapper is a feature in Swift that is part of the Combine framework used to sumplify comunication between different parts of an app. It allows us to declare a property in a class or structure as "published", meaning that any changes to that property will automatically trigger a notification to any subscribers (reactive property).

  Here's how it works: when we declare a property with the @Published wrapper, the Swift compiler automatically generates a Publisher object that emits a new value every time the property is updated. We can then use this publisher to create a subscription, which allows us to react to any changes to the property.

  For example, consider the following class:

  import Combine
   
  class ViewModel {
      @Published var count = 0
  }

  In this case, the ViewModel class has a count property that is marked as @Published. Any changes to count will automatically trigger a notification to any subscribers. To subscribe to these notifications, we can create a sink using the count publisher:

  let viewModel = ViewModel()
   
  let cancellable = viewModel.$count.sink { newValue in
      print("Count is now \(newValue)")
  }
   
  viewModel.count = 1 // Output: "Count is now 1"
  viewModel.count = 2 // Output: "Count is now 2"

  In this example, the sink closure will be called every time the count property is updated, printing out the new value of count.

  In addition to all this, the @Published property wrapper is particularly useful when combined with other features of the Combine framework, such as ObservableObject, to create reactive data models.

• 🟩 What does the @State property wrapper do?

  Answer

  The @State property wrapper is a feature in SwiftUI that allows us to declare a property in a View struct as a state variable. When the value of the state variable changes, SwiftUI automatically updates the View to reflect the new state.

  Here's an example of how to use @State in a simple SwiftUI View:

  import SwiftUI
   
  struct MyView: View {
      @State private var count = 0
   
      var body: some View {
          VStack {
              Text("Count: \(count)")
              Button("Increment") {
                  count += 1
              }
          }
      }
  }

  In this example, we declare a state variable count using the @State property wrapper. We can then use this variable inside the body property of the View to create a label that displays the current value of count and a button that increments the count when tapped.

  The key benefit of using @State is that it allows SwiftUI to manage the lifecycle of the state variable for us. Whenever the value of the state variable changes, SwiftUI automatically updates the View to reflect the new value. Additionally, @State ensures that the state variable is only accessed from the main thread, which helps avoid race conditions and other concurrency issues.

  It's worth noting that @State is designed for simple, local state variables that are tightly coupled to the View. If we need to share state between multiple views or across our app, we should consider using @ObservedObject or @EnvironmentObject instead.

• 🟩 What's the difference between a view's initializer and onAppear()?

  Answer

  The initializer of a SwiftUI View is used to set up the initial state of the view, and is called only once during the lifetime of the view. On the other hand, the onAppear() modifier is called each time the view appears on the screen, and can be used to perform tasks such as fetching data, starting animations, or updating the view's state.

  Here's a simple example to illustrate the difference:

  struct MyView: View {
      let message: String
    
      init() {
          message = "Hello, world!"
          print("Initializing view")
      }
    
      var body: some View {
          VStack {
              Text(message)
          }
          .onAppear {
              print("View appeared")
          }
      }
  }

  In this example, the init() method is called once to initialize the message property to "Hello, world!", and the onAppear() modifier is called each time the view appears on the screen to print "View appeared" to the console.

  It's important to note that the init() method is called before the view is fully configured and may not have access to certain environment values or view modifiers. In contrast, onAppear() is called after the view has been configured and is visible on the screen, so it's a good place to perform tasks that require access to the view hierarchy or environment.

  In summary, the initializer of a SwiftUI View is used to set up the initial state of the view, while onAppear() is used to perform tasks when the view appears on the screen.

• 🟩 When would you use @StateObject versus @ObservedObject?

  Answer

  In SwiftUI, both @StateObject and @ObservedObject are used to manage external state in a view, but they have slightly different use cases.

  @ObservedObject is used to reference an object that is created outside the current view and is used by the view to render its content. The object is passed into the view's initializer and is marked with @ObservedObject. Whenever the object's state changes, the view is updated to reflect the new state.

  On the other hand, @StateObject is used to create and own an object within the view. The object is created and managed entirely by the view, and is not passed in from the outside. The @StateObject property wrapper is used to indicate that the view owns the object, and the object's state can be mutated within the view.

  In general, we would use @ObservedObject when we need to reference an object that is created outside the view, and @StateObject when we need to create and manage an object within the view.

  Here's a simple example to illustrate the difference:

  class MyData: ObservableObject {
      @Published var message = "Hello, world!"
  }
   
  struct ContentView: View {
      @ObservedObject var data = MyData()
      @StateObject var newData = MyData()
    
      var body: some View {
          VStack {
              Text(data.message)
              Text(newData.message)
            
              Button("Change Message") {
                  data.message = "Goodbye, world!"
                  newData.message = "New message"
              }
          }
      }
  }

  In this example, data is an object created outside the view and passed in using @ObservedObject, while newData is created and owned by the view using @StateObject. When the button is tapped, both objects are mutated, but only the change to data is observed by the view, because newData is not passed in from the outside and is not observed by any other view.

  In summary, we would use @ObservedObject when we need to reference an object created outside the view, and @StateObject when we need to create and manage an object within the view.

• 🟧 How can an observable object announce changes to SwiftUI?

  Answer

  An observable object can announce changes to SwiftUI by using the @Published property wrapper for the properties that need to trigger the updates. When a @Published property changes, the observable object will notify any SwiftUI views that are observing it.

  For example, let's say we have an observable object UserData:

  class UserData: ObservableObject {
      @Published var name: String = ""
  }

  And we have a view UserView that displays the username:

  struct UserView: View {
      @ObservedObject var userData: UserData
    
      var body: some View {
          Text(userData.name)
      }
  }

  When the name property of UserData changes, the @Published property wrapper will notify SwiftUI that the object has changed, and the UserView will be updated with the new value of name.

• 🟧 How would you create programmatic navigation in SwiftUI?

  Answer

  Programmatic navigation in SwiftUI can be achieved using the NavigationLink view and the @State property wrapper.

  Here is an example of how to create programmatic navigation:

  1. First, create a view that will be the destination of the navigation:

     struct DetailView: View {
         var text: String
      
         var body: some View {
             Text(text)
         }
     }

  2. Next, create the view that will initiate the navigation. Inside this view, define a @State variable that will keep track of whether the navigation should be active or not.

     struct ContentView: View {
         @State private var isDetailViewActive = false
      
         var body: some View {
             VStack {
                 Button("Go to detail view") {
                     self.isDetailViewActive = true
                 }
            
                 NavigationLink(
                     destination: DetailView(text: "Hello from DetailView"),
                     isActive: $isDetailViewActive,
                     label: {
                         EmptyView()
                     })
                 }
         }
     }

     In this example, we have a Button that sets the isDetailViewActive state variable to true when it is tapped. We also have a NavigationLink that defines the destination view (DetailView) and whether it should be active or not (isActive).

  3. Finally, embed the view inside a NavigationView:

     struct ContentView: View {
         @State private var isDetailViewActive = false
      
         var body: some View {
         NavigationView {
            VStack {
                Button("Go to detail view") {
                    self.isDetailViewActive = true
                }
                
                NavigationLink(
                    destination: DetailView(text: "Hello from DetailView"),
                    isActive: $isDetailViewActive,
                    label: {
                        EmptyView()
                    })
                }
            }
         }
     }

     With this setup, when the button is tapped, the isDetailViewActive state variable is set to true, which activates the NavigationLink and navigates to the DetailView.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of the ButtonStyle protocol?

  Answer

  The ButtonStyle protocol in SwiftUI defines the appearance and behavior of a button. It specifies a set of methods and properties that a custom button style should implement, such as configuring the appearance of the button's label and handling user interactions.

  By conforming to the ButtonStyle protocol, we can create custom button styles that can be applied to any Button instance in our SwiftUI views. This can be useful for creating consistent branding or visual design across our app, as well as for creating specialized button behaviors that are not available with the default button styles.

• 🟧 When would you use GeometryReader?

  Answer

  GeometryReader is a view in SwiftUI that provides information about the size and position of its parent view, as well as its own size and position within its parent. It's useful in a variety of situations, such as:

  1. Positioning child views relative to the parent view: By using the GeometryReader to get the size and position of the parent view, we can position child views within it using relative coordinates.
  2. Creating responsive layouts: By using the GeometryReader to get the size of the parent view, we can adjust the layout of child views to fit different screen sizes and orientations.
  3. Creating custom drawing: By using the GeometryReader to get the size of the parent view, we can create custom drawings that adapt to the size and position of the view.

  Some specific examples of when to use GeometryReader include:

  • Creating a custom navigation bar with a background image that spans the entire width of the screen, including the safe area insets.
  • Creating a circular progress bar that fills up as the user completes a task, with the radius of the circle adapting to the available space.
  • Creating a responsive grid layout that adjusts the number of columns based on the screen size and orientation.

• 🟥 Why does SwiftUI use structs for views?

  Answer

  SwiftUI uses structs for views for several reasons:

  1. Efficiency: Structs are lightweight and efficient to create and copy, which makes them well-suited for UI components that are frequently created and destroyed, such as views in a user interface.
  2. Predictable behavior: Structs are immutable by default, which means that their properties cannot be changed after they are created. This makes it easier to reason about the behavior of a view, since its properties will not change unexpectedly.
  3. Composition: SwiftUI views can be composed of other views, and structs are well-suited for composition. When we compose views, the resulting view hierarchy is a tree of structs, which can be efficiently created and updated by SwiftUI.
  4. Declarative syntax: Structs lend themselves well to a declarative syntax, where we define the desired outcome of a view hierarchy, rather than specifying the imperative steps required to achieve that outcome. SwiftUI leverages this declarative syntax to simplify UI development and reduce code complexity.

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UIKit

• 🟩 How are XIBs different from storyboards?

  Answer

  XIBs and storyboards are both ways of creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in iOS and macOS development, but they differ in some key ways.

  XIB files, also known as .nib files, are individual interface files that contain a single view or scene. They are used to build specific user interface elements that can be reused in different parts of an application. XIB files are typically used in conjunction with programmatic view controller code, allowing developers to create a custom UI without having to build all the UI elements in code.

  Storyboards, on the other hand, are files that contain multiple scenes or views in a single file. Storyboards allow us to design and connect multiple screens of an app in a single file, and they make it easy to create and manage segues between screens. This makes it possible to design the entire flow of an application's user interface in a single place, making it easier to visualize and manage.

  Here are some key differences between XIBs and storyboards:

  1. Structure: XIBs contain a single view or scene, while storyboards contain multiple scenes or views.
  2. Navigation: Storyboards can be used to create the entire flow of an application's user interface, including navigation between different views, while XIBs are typically used to build specific views that are reused in multiple parts of an app.
  3. Collaboration: Since XIBs contain individual views, they can be more easily shared between developers, while storyboards are more complex and can be harder to manage in a team environment.
  4. Flexibility: XIBs provide more flexibility in terms of customizing individual views, while storyboards make it easier to manage the overall flow of an application's user interface.

  In summary, XIBs are used to build individual views or UI elements that can be reused in different parts of an app, while storyboards are used to design the overall flow of an app's user interface.

• 🟩 How would you explain UIKit segues to a new iOS developer?

  Answer

  A segue is a way to transition from one view controller to another in a storyboard-based iOS app. It provides a visual transition effect that creates a sense of continuity between the two screens.

  There are three types of segues in UIKit:

  1. Show Segue: This type of segue is used to push a new view controller onto the navigation stack. The new view controller slides in from the right, and the current view controller slides out to the left.
  2. Modally Present Segue: This type of segue is used to present a view controller modally. The new view controller slides up from the bottom of the screen, covering the current view controller.
  3. Custom Segue: This type of segue is used to create a custom transition between view controllers. It allows the developer to define a custom animation or transition effect.

  Each segue has an identifier that is used to identify it in code. When a segue is triggered, the prepare(for:sender:) method is called on the current view controller, which allows the developer to pass data to the destination view controller before it is presented.

• 🟩 What are storyboard identifiers for?

  Answer

  Storyboard identifiers are used to identify a specific view controller within a storyboard. They are commonly used when navigating between view controllers programmatically, as they allow the developer to specify which view controller they want to present or push onto the navigation stack. When assigning a storyboard identifier to a view controller, the developer gives it a unique string identifier, which can then be used in code to instantiate the view controller or perform a segue to it. The use of storyboard identifiers can help make view controller navigation more efficient and organized in iOS app development.

• 🟩 What are the benefits of using child view controllers?

  Answer

  Using child view controllers can have several benefits, including:

  1. Modularization: Child view controllers allow developers to modularize their code by breaking down complex view controller hierarchies into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can make the code easier to read, understand, and maintain over time.
  2. Reusability: Once a child view controller has been created, it can be easily reused in different parts of the app, reducing the amount of duplicate code needed.
  3. Flexibility: Child view controllers allow for more flexibility in the presentation and layout of views, as they can be added and removed dynamically as needed.
  4. Separation of concerns: Child view controllers allow developers to separate the concerns of different parts of the UI. For example, one child view controller might be responsible for displaying a list of items, while another might handle the details view for each item.
  5. Improved performance: Child view controllers can help improve the performance of an app by allowing it to load only the views it needs at a given time, rather than loading all views at once. This can be particularly useful for apps with complex UIs that require a lot of resources to render.

• 🟩 What are the pros and cons of using viewWithTag()?

  Answer

  The viewWithTag() method is a way to retrieve a view from its superview by using a unique tag assigned to it. Here are some pros and cons of using this method:

  Pros:

  • It is a quick and easy way to access a view from its superview without having to store a reference to it in a property.
  • It can be useful when dealing with dynamically generated views or when working with views that are not directly accessible in code (e.g. in a table view cell or collection view cell).

  Cons:

  • It can lead to code that is hard to read and maintain because the tag value is not easily discoverable in code.
  • It can be error-prone if multiple views have the same tag value or if the tag value is not unique.
  • It is less performant than directly accessing a view through a property because it requires the superview to search through its subviews to find the one with the specified tag.

  In short, it is generally recommended to avoid using viewWithTag() when possible and instead use properties to store references to views that need to be accessed multiple times. However, in some cases where quick access to a view is needed and the tag value is guaranteed to be unique, using viewWithTag() can be a convenient solution.

• 🟩 What is the difference between @IBOutlet and @IBAction?

  Answer

  In iOS development, @IBOutlet and @IBAction are annotations used with Interface Builder to connect user interface elements with code in Swift.

  @IBOutlet is used to create a reference from the Interface Builder component to the Swift code, allowing the code to interact with the component, such as changing its properties, like its text or color, or responding to user actions.

  @IBAction, on the other hand, is used to define an action to be performed when the connected user interface element, such as a button or slider, is triggered by a user interaction.

  In summary, @IBOutlet is used to establish a connection between a user interface element and the code, while @IBAction is used to define a method that will be called when a user interacts with the connected element.

• 🟩 What is the difference between a UIImage and a UIImageView?

  Answer

  In iOS development with UIKit, UIImage and UIImageView are two related but distinct concepts:

  • UIImage is a class that represents an image in memory. It is often used as a source of data for a view that displays images, such as a UIImageView.
  • UIImageView is a subclass of UIView that is designed to display a UIImage on screen. It provides additional functionality for scaling, animating, and manipulating images, and is often used in conjunction with other view classes to build a user interface.

  In summary, UIImage represents the image data, while UIImageView is a view that displays the image data.

• 🟩 What is the difference between aspect fill and aspect fit when displaying an image?

  Answer

  When displaying an image, aspect fill and aspect fit refer to two different ways of scaling the image to fit into the available space while maintaining its aspect ratio.

  Aspect fill means that the image will be scaled up or down so that it completely fills the available space, with any excess parts of the image being cropped off. This can result in the image being enlarged beyond its original dimensions or parts of the image being cut off, but it ensures that the entire available space is filled with the image.

  Aspect fit means that the image will be scaled up or down so that it fits entirely within the available space, without any parts of the image being cropped off. This can result in empty space around the edges of the image, but it ensures that the entire image is visible within the available space.

  In other words, aspect fill prioritizes filling the space, while aspect fit prioritizes displaying the entire image.

• 🟩 What is the purpose of UIActivityViewController?

  Answer

  UIActivityViewController is a class in UIKit framework of iOS that provides a pre-built user interface to share content such as text, images, and URLs with other applications or services. It allows the user to select from a list of services they have configured on their device, such as messaging, email, social media, or cloud storage, to share the content. The content can be shared through built-in services or third-party apps that have registered to appear in the activity view. The purpose of UIActivityViewController is to make it easier for developers to implement sharing functionality in their apps and provide a consistent user experience across different services.

• 🟩 What is the purpose of UIVisualEffectView?

  Answer

  The purpose of UIVisualEffectView in iOS is to apply visual effects to the views behind it. It provides a simple way to add blur and vibrancy effects to our app's user interface, which can help improve the overall visual appeal and user experience of our app.

  The UIVisualEffectView class is part of the UIKit framework and was introduced in iOS 8. It works by applying a blur effect to the views behind it, and also provides a vibrancy effect that can be used to make text and other user interface elements more visible and prominent.

  Using a UIVisualEffectView is fairly straightforward: we simply create an instance of the class, set its effect property to an instance of the desired effect, and then add the view to our app's view hierarchy. The visual effect is automatically applied to the views behind the UIVisualEffectView, creating a visually appealing blur effect with subtle highlights and shadows. Here's an example:

  import UIKit
   
   class MyViewController: UIViewController {
       override func viewDidLoad() {
           super.viewDidLoad()
   
           // Create a view to add the blur effect to
           let myView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 50, y: 100, width: 200, height: 200))
           myView.backgroundColor = .white
   
           // Create a visual effect view with a blur effect
           let blurEffect = UIBlurEffect(style: .light)
           let visualEffectView = UIVisualEffectView(effect: blurEffect)
   
           // Add the visual effect view as a subview to the view to blur
           visualEffectView.frame = myView.bounds
           myView.addSubview(visualEffectView)
   
           // Add the blurred view to the main view
           view.addSubview(myView)
       }
  }

• 🟩 What is the purpose of reuse identifiers for table view cells?

  Answer

  In iOS development, table views are commonly used to display a list of items. To optimize the performance of the table view, cells that are scrolled off-screen are re-used for new cells that need to be displayed on-screen. This means that a single cell instance can be re-used multiple times, rather than creating a new instance for each cell.

  To facilitate the re-use of cells, developers use reuse identifiers. A reuse identifier is a string that uniquely identifies a type of cell in a table view. When a cell scrolls off-screen and is no longer visible, the table view stores the cell in a reuse queue, indexed by its reuse identifier. When a new cell needs to be displayed on-screen, the table view first checks if there is a reusable cell with the appropriate reuse identifier in the reuse queue. If so, it dequeues the cell from the queue and reconfigures it with new data. If not, it creates a new cell instance.

  By using reuse identifiers, developers can optimize the performance of their table views by reducing the number of cell instances that need to be created and configured. This can improve the overall performance of the app, particularly when displaying large lists of data.

• 🟩 When would you choose to use a collection view rather than a table view?

  Answer

  A collection view and a table view are both used to display a collection of data in a scrollable view, but there are some differences between them that might make one more suitable than the other depending on the specific requirements of the app.

  Here are some scenarios where a collection view might be preferred over a table view:

  • Non-linear or custom layouts: Collection views provide more flexibility in terms of how items are laid out on the screen. They can be arranged in a grid, a carousel, or any other custom layout.
  • Heterogeneous data types: Collection views are better suited for displaying different types of content, such as images, videos, and text, in the same view. Each cell in a collection view can be customized to display a different type of content, whereas in a table view, each row typically displays the same type of content.
  • Interactivity: Collection views provide more options for interactivity than table views. For example, we can implement drag-and-drop functionality, or add animations and gestures to individual cells.
  • Horizontal scrolling: Collection views are designed to handle both vertical and horizontal scrolling, whereas table views are typically used for vertical scrolling only.

  Overall, a collection view provides more customization options than a table view, making it a good choice when we need a high degree of control over the appearance and behavior of our collection of data.

• 🟩 Which parts of UIKit are you least familiar with?

  Answer

  The answer depends on your experience with UIKit. Here are some examples of how I would approach it:

  • Core Image: A framework that provides image processing capabilities. It allows developers to apply a variety of filters to images and manipulate them in various ways.
  • UIDocumentInteractionController: Allows users to share documents with other apps or services. It's useful for apps that need to work with documents of various types, such as PDFs or Word documents
  • Core Animation: Provides a way to create and animate views and other objects on screen. It's a powerful tool for creating complex and dynamic interfaces, but requires a solid understanding of keyframe animations, animation timing, and other related concepts.

• 🟧 How does a view's intrinsic content size aid in Auto Layout?

  Answer

  A view's intrinsic content size is an important concept in Auto Layout that enables the system to determine the size of a view based on its content. When a view has an intrinsic content size, it means that the size of the view is determined by its content, and the view can communicate its preferred size to the layout system. For example, a label has an intrinsic content size that is based on the size of the text it contains, while a button has an intrinsic content size that is based on the size of its title and image.

  By providing an intrinsic content size, a view can participate in Auto Layout and help the system determine the appropriate size and position for the view within its superview. This can be especially useful when building user interfaces that need to adapt to different screen sizes and orientations, as it allows views to maintain their intrinsic proportions while still fitting within the available space.

  In summary, a view's intrinsic content size is a key part of Auto Layout that enables views to communicate their preferred size to the system, making it easier to build adaptive user interfaces that work well across a variety of screen sizes and orientations.

• 🟧 What is the function of anchors in Auto Layout?

  Answer

  In Auto Layout, anchors are used to create constraints that define the position and size of a view relative to other views or the superview. Anchors provide a way to programmatically specify constraints using the layout anchors provided by the NSLayoutAnchor class in UIKit. By using anchors, developers can create constraints that are flexible and adaptable to different device sizes and orientations. For example, we can use anchors to align two views horizontally or vertically, set their width or height, or create constraints between different edges of a view. Anchors simplify the process of creating constraints and make it easier to create layouts that are both visually appealing and functional across different devices.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of IBDesignable?

  Answer

  IBDesignable is an attribute in Xcode that allows developers to see their custom views rendered directly in Interface Builder. When a custom view is marked as IBDesignable, Interface Builder compiles the view and renders it directly in the canvas, so developers can see how the view looks without having to run the app. This can be particularly helpful in tweaking the layout and appearance of a view before running the app, saving time and effort. To use IBDesignable, a custom view must also be marked with the IBInspectable attribute on any properties that should be exposed in Interface Builder.

  Here's an example:

  @IBDesignable
  class MyCustomView: UIView {
      @IBInspectable var cornerRadius: CGFloat = 0 {
          didSet {
              layer.cornerRadius = cornerRadius
              layer.masksToBounds = cornerRadius > 0
          }
      }
   
      ...
  }

  In this example, we have a custom view called MyCustomView that has a cornerRadius property that we want to be able to set in Interface Builder. We've marked the class with @IBDesignable so that it can be rendered directly in Interface Builder, and we've also marked the cornerRadius property with @IBInspectable so that it can be edited in Interface Builder's attributes inspector.

  When we set the cornerRadius property, we update the view's layer to have a corner radius equal to the new value. We also set the masksToBounds property to true if the corner radius is greater than 0, which ensures that the corners are clipped to the bounds of the view.

  With these changes, we can now use MyCustomView directly in Interface Builder and see how it looks with the specified corner radius.

• 🟧 What is the purpose of UIMenuController?

  Answer

  UIMenuController is a class in UIKit that allows us to display custom menus in our iOS app. It is used to create and manage menus, which can include actions that are specific to our app. The purpose of UIMenuController is to provide a flexible and customizable way to present menus to users, which can help improve the user experience of our app.

  UIMenuController provides a set of APIs that enable us to create and display menus in response to user interactions. We can add menu items to the menu, and specify which actions should be taken when a user selects a particular menu item. UIMenuController can be used in a variety of contexts, such as when the user performs a long-press gesture on a view or when we want to provide contextual options in response to a specific user action.

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