Optional unwrapping syntax in Swift 5.7

Posted on 14 Jun 2022 . 2 min read

Optional unwrapping is one of the most used patterns in iOS development. Swift 5.7 introduces new features included a new way to unwrap optional values using if let and guard let statements. It eliminates duplication to make writing and reading code easier. Previously, we unwrapped optional values in the following manner:

var someVariable: String?

if let someVariable = someVariable {
    ....
}

However, in Swift 5.7 we utilize a more obvious and accurate way to unwrap optional values.

var someVariable: String?

if let someVariable {
    ....
}

On the other hand, the guard let statement can be used in the same way.

var someVariable: String?

if guard someVariable else {
    ....
}

What problem is it supposed to solve?

It's more harder to read and write code when we have long variable names for unwrapping. As an example,

let someVariableName: String?

let anotherVariableName: String?

if let someVariableName = someVariableName, 
  let anotherVariableName = anotherVariableName {
    .....
}

One approach is to use a name that is shorter and less descriptive. As an example,

if let x = someVariableName,let y = anotherVariableName {
    ....
}

It diminishes clarity while unwrapping optionals, as we can see in the example above. As a result, Swift 5.7 adds shorter syntax to address this issue. As an example,

let someVariableName: String?

let anotherVariableName: String?

if let someVariableName,let anotherVariableName {
   ....
}

Conclusion

Swift is always introducing new features that make writing code easier to read and write. To design more robust code, it is vital to avoid code duplication and use useful variable names.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or queries. Follow me on twitter @gurjitpt for any updates.

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Gurjit Singh

I’m Computer Science graduate and an iOS Engineer who writes about Swift and iOS development. Follow me for more updates:

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