1/23/24, 8:00 PM Learn Swift: Arrays & Sets Cheatsheet | Codecademy

Cheatsheets / Learn Swift

Arrays & Sets

Array

An array stores an ordered collection of values of the var scores = [Int]()

same data type.
Use the initializer syntax, [Type]() , to create an
empty array of a certain type. // The array is empty: []

Initialize with Array Literal

An array can be initialized with an array literal, which is // Using type inference:
a short-hand method of writing one or more values as
an array collection.
var snowfall = [2.4, 3.6, 3.4, 1.8, 0.0]
An array literal is written as a list of values, separated by
commas, and surrounded by a pair of square brackets. // Being explicit with the type:
var temp: [Int] = [33, 31, 30, 38, 44]

Index

An index refers to an item’s position within an ordered var vowels = ["a", "e", "i", "o", "u"]
list. Use the subscript syntax, array[index] , to
retrieve an individual element from an array.
Note: Swift arrays are zero-indexed, meaning the first print(vowels[0]) // Prints: a
element has index 0. print(vowels[1]) // Prints: e
print(vowels[2]) // Prints: i
print(vowels[3]) // Prints: o
print(vowels[4]) // Prints: u

.count Property

The .count property returns the number of var grocery = [" 🥓 ", "🥞 ", "🍪 ", "🥛 ",
elements in an array.
" 🍊 "]
print(grocery.count)

// Prints: 5
https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift/modules/learn-swift-arrays/cheatsheet 1/6
1/23/24, 8:00 PM Learn Swift: Arrays & Sets Cheatsheet | Codecademy

.append() Method and += Operator

The .append() method can be called on an array var gymBadges = ["Boulder", "Cascade"]
to add an item to the end of the array.
The += addition assignment operator can be used to
add the elements of another array to the existing array. gymBadges.append("Thunder")
gymBadges += ["Rainbow", "Soul"]

// ["Boulder", "Cascade", "Thunder",

"Rainbow", "Soul"]

.insert() and .remove() Methods

The .insert() method can be called on an array var moon = [" 🌖 ", "🌗 ", "🌘 ", "🌑 "]
to add an element at a specified index. It takes two
arguments: value and at: index .
The .remove() method can be called on an array
moon.insert(" 🌕 ", at: 0)
to remove an element at a specified index. It takes one
argument: at: index . // [" 🌕 ", "🌖 ", "🌗 ", "🌘 ", "🌑 "]
moon.remove(at: 4)

// [" 🌕 ", "🌖 ", "🌗 ", "🌘 "]

Iterating Over an Array

In Swift, a for - in loop can be used to iterate var employees = ["Michael", "Dwight",
through the items of an array.
"Jim", "Pam", "Andy"]
This is a powerful tool for working with and
manipulating a large amount of data.
for person in employees {
print(person)
}

// Prints: Michael
// Prints: Dwight
// Prints: Jim
// Prints: Pam
// Prints: Andy

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift/modules/learn-swift-arrays/cheatsheet 2/6
1/23/24, 8:00 PM Learn Swift: Arrays & Sets Cheatsheet | Codecademy

Swift Sets

We can use a set to store unique elements of the same var paintingsInMOMA: Set = ["The Dream",
data type.
"The Starry Night", "The False Mirror"]

Empty Sets

An empty set is a set that contains no values inside of it. var team = Set<String>()

print(team)
// Prints: []

Populated Sets

To create a set populated with values, use the Set var vowels: Set = ["a", "e", "i", "o",
keyword before the assignment operator.
"u"]
The values of the set must be contained within brackets
[] and separated with commas , .

.insert()

To insert a single value into a set, append var cookieJar: Set = ["Chocolate Chip",
.insert() to a set and place the new value inside
"Oatmeal Raisin"]
the parentheses () .

// Add a new element

cookieJar.insert("Peanut Butter Chip")

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift/modules/learn-swift-arrays/cheatsheet 3/6
1/23/24, 8:00 PM Learn Swift: Arrays & Sets Cheatsheet | Codecademy

.remove() and .removeAll() Methods

To remove a single value from a set, append var oddNumbers: Set = [1, 2, 3, 5]
.remove() to a set with the value to be removed
placed inside the parentheses () .
To remove every single value from a set at once, // Remove an existing element
append .removeAll() to a set. oddNumbers.remove(2)

// Remove all elements

oddNumbers.removeAll()

.contains()

Appending .contains() to an existing set with an var names: Set = ["Rosa", "Doug",
item in the parentheses () will return a true or
"Waldo"]
false value that states whether the item exists
within the set.
print(names.contains("Lola")) // Prints:
false

if names.contains("Waldo"){
print("There's Waldo!")
} else {
print("Where's Waldo?")
}
// Prints: There's Waldo!

Iterating Over a Set

A for - in loop can be used to iterate over each var recipe: Set = ["Chocolate chips",
item in a set.
"Eggs", "Flour", "Sugar"]

for ingredient in recipe {

print ("Include \(ingredient) in the
recipe.")
}

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift/modules/learn-swift-arrays/cheatsheet 4/6
1/23/24, 8:00 PM Learn Swift: Arrays & Sets Cheatsheet | Codecademy

.isEmpty Property

Use the built-in property .isEmpty to check if a var emptySet = Set<String>()

set has no values contained in it.

print(emptySet.isEmpty) // Prints: true

var populatedSet: Set = [1, 2, 3]

print(populatedSet.isEmpty) // Prints:
false

.count Property

The property .count returns the number of var band: Set = ["Guitar", "Bass",
elements contained within a set.
"Drums", "Vocals"]

print("There are \(band.count) players in

the band.")
// Prints: There are 4 players in the
band.

.intersection() Operation

The .intersection() operation populates a var setA: Set = ["A", "B", "C", "D"]
new set of elements with the overlapping elements of
var setB: Set = ["C", "D", "E", "F"]
two sets.

var setC = setA.intersection(setB)

print(setC) // Prints: ["D", "C"]

.union() Operation

The .union() operation populates a new set by var setA: Set = ["A", "B", "C", "D"]
taking all the values from two sets and combining them.
var setB: Set = ["C", "D", "E", "F"]

var setC = setA.union(setB)

print(setC)
// Prints: ["B", "A", "D", "F", "C", "E"]

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift/modules/learn-swift-arrays/cheatsheet 5/6
1/23/24, 8:00 PM Learn Swift: Arrays & Sets Cheatsheet | Codecademy

.symmetricDifference() Operation

The .symmetricDifference() operation var setA: Set = ["A", "B", "C", "D"]
creates a new set with all the non-overlapping values
var setB: Set = ["C", "D", "E", "F"]
between two sets.

var setC = setA.symmetricDifference(setB)

print(setC)
// Prints: ["B", "E", "F", "A"]

.subtracting() Operation

The .subtracting() operation removes the var setA: Set = ["A", "B", "C", "D"]
values of one second set from another set and stores
var setB: Set = ["C", "D"]
the remaining values in a new set.

var setC = setA.subtracting(setB)

print(setC)
// Prints: ["B", "A"]

Print Share

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-swift/modules/learn-swift-arrays/cheatsheet 6/6