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The Fun and Powerful World of Enum in Swift: Explained with Examples 🚀

Updated: Mar 25, 2023

Join us for a journey through the world of Swift data types, where we explore the power and versatility of Enum, with plenty of examples and humor along the way!


Are you new to Swift and wondering about the basics of data types? Then get ready for an easy journey, where we explore the world of Enum.


With simple explanations and examples, we’ll learn how to use Enum in your code, and how it can help you solve problems with ease. Let’s get started with some fun and humor along the way! 😄

  1. Enum: The Basics 📚

Enum, short for “enumeration”, is a data type in Swift that lets you define a set of related values, like colors, planets, or states. It’s like a list of options that you can choose from, with each option having its own name and value.

In Swift, you can create an Enum using the keyword “enum”, like this:

enum Direction {
   case north
   case south
   case east
   case west
}

This creates an Enum called “Direction” that has four possible values: north, south, east, and west. You can use these values in your code, like this:

var myDirection: Direction = .north

This creates a variable called “myDirection” that holds the value .north, which is one of the possible values of the Direction Enum. You can change the value of the variable later in your code, like this:

myDirection = .east

This changes the value of the “myDirection” variable to .east. You can also use an Enum in a switch statement, like this:

switch myDirection {
   case .north:
      print("You are heading north.")
   case .south:
      print("You are heading south.")
   case .east:
      print("You are heading east.")
   case .west:
      print("You are heading west.")
}


This prints a message based on the value of the “myDirection” variable.




2. Enum: The Power of Associated Values 🌟


But Enum is not just about simple values, it can also have associated values, which are like additional data that’s associated with each option. This makes Enum even more powerful and versatile.


In Swift, you can create an Enum with associated values, like this:

enum Planet {
   case mercury(radius: Double, moons: Int)
   case venus(radius: Double, moons: Int)
   case earth(radius: Double, moons: Int)
   case mars(radius: Double, moons: Int)
}

This creates an Enum called “Planet” that has four possible values: mercury, venus, earth, and mars. Each value has two associated values: radius (a Double) and moons (an Int).

You can use these values in your code, like this:

let myPlanet = Planet.earth(radius: 6371, moons: 1)

This creates a constant called “myPlanet” that holds the value Planet.earth, with a radius of 6371 and one moon. You can access the associated values using dot notation, like this:

print("The radius of Earth is \(myPlanet.radius) km.")
print("Earth has \(myPlanet.moons) moon(s).")

This prints the radius and number of moons for the “myPlanet” value.




  1. Epilogue: The Power of Enum in Swift 🚀

And there you have it, fellow coders! You’ve learned the basics and power of Enum in Swift, with plenty of examples and humor along the way. With Enum, you can create a set of related values and use them in your code, or add associated values to make it even more powerful and versatile.


Now that you know the basics, go forth and explore the world of Enum in Swift, and see how it can help you solve problems in your own code. Happy coding, and may the Enums be ever in your favor! 😄






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