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SwiftLet 02 - Let

by: 0xLeif

Posted on:November 30, 2021Β atΒ 04:06 AM

SwiftLet #02: Let

Let is the keyword to define a variable that can only be set once.

let variable: String

variable = "πŸ‘‹"

// variable = "πŸ™…" // This will result in a compiler error!

If you uncomment the line where variable is being set to πŸ™…, you will get a compiler error.

Immutable value 'variable' may only be initialized once

NOTE: It says initialized

Example 1 Simply set the value. Go type inference!

let pi = Float.pi

Example 2 What if we tried to modify the value? In this example, we are trying to modify an Array after it has been initialized, in Swift Arrays are Value Types (in a later chapter we will dive into the topic of Value Types and Reference Types).

let variable: [String]

variable = ["πŸ‘‹"]

variable.append("πŸ™…") // This will also result in a compiler error!

The error you get is because Value Types are always reinitialized! Their value changed, so it is a new value.

Mutating method 'append' may not be used on immutable value 'variable'

Example 3 We can get the variable and use the value, in this example we print the current value to the console.

let variable = "πŸ‘‹"

print(variable) // πŸ‘‹

Closing Remarks

We learned that let can only set a variable’s value once! Also we learned that we can get the value of a variable and use it. Finally we learned that Swift has Value Types and Reference Types; also that you can not modify a variable which happens to be a Value Type.