How can you build better user interfaces with SwiftUI in Swift?

1 Use modifiers

Modifiers are functions that you can apply to any SwiftUI view to modify its appearance, behavior, or layout. For example, you can use modifiers to add padding, borders, shadows, fonts, colors, animations, and more. Modifiers are chainable, meaning you can combine multiple modifiers to create complex effects. Modifiers are also adaptive, meaning they adjust to the environment and device settings. For example, you can use the .environment modifier to change the color scheme or the font size of your views.

2 Use stacks

Stacks are views that arrange their child views horizontally, vertically, or along a custom axis. You can use stacks to create flexible layouts that adapt to different screen sizes and orientations. For example, you can use a VStack to create a vertical list of views, a HStack to create a horizontal row of views, or a ZStack to create a layered stack of views. You can also use the .alignment and .spacing modifiers to control how the child views are aligned and spaced within the stack.

3 Use bindings

Bindings are a way of connecting data between different views or components. You can use bindings to create dynamic and interactive user interfaces that respond to changes in the data. For example, you can use bindings to link a Slider view to a Text view that displays its value, or to link a Toggle view to a Boolean property that controls its state. To create a binding, you need to use the @State, @Binding, or @ObservedObject property wrappers, depending on the source and scope of the data.

4 Use previews

Previews are a powerful feature of SwiftUI that let you see how your views look and behave in different scenarios. You can use previews to test your views in different devices, orientations, color schemes, font sizes, and languages. You can also use previews to interact with your views and see the effects of your modifiers and bindings. To create a preview, you need to use the PreviewProvider protocol and the .previewLayout, .previewDevice, and .environment modifiers.

5 Use components

Components are reusable views that you can create by extracting or combining other views. You can use components to simplify your code, improve your performance, and enhance your design consistency. For example, you can create a component for a custom button, a card view, or a navigation bar. To create a component, you need to use the struct keyword and conform to the View protocol. You can also use parameters and modifiers to customize your components for different use cases.

6 Use animations

Animations are effects that you can apply to your views to make them more engaging and responsive. You can use animations to create transitions, transformations, and interactions for your views. For example, you can use animations to fade, slide, rotate, or scale your views, or to respond to user gestures and events. To create an animation, you need to use the .animation modifier and the Animation struct, which provide various options and presets for your animations.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?