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Writer's pictureCharles Edge

Minimal Search in Swift 5: Building Simple Yet Effective Search Functionality

Updated: Feb 6



Swift 5 provides developers with the tools to create effective search functionality with minimal effort. Whether working on a small project or laying the foundation for a larger application, implementing a straightforward search feature is a common requirement. In this article, we'll explore how to perform a minimal search in Swift 5.


Let's start by setting up the basic structure for our search functionality. Assume you have an array of items that you want to search through, such as a list of names.

let names = ["Alice", "Bob", "Charlie", "David", "Eve", "Frank"]

We'll create a function that takes a search query as input and returns an array of matching results.

func search(query: String) -> [String] {
    // Placeholder for search implementation
    return []
}

Simple Linear Search

The simplest way to perform a search is through a linear search. We iterate through the array and check if each element contains the search query.

func search(query: String) -> [String] {
    var results: [String] = []

    for name in names {
        if name.lowercased().contains(query.lowercased()) {
            results.append(name)
        }
    }

    return results
}

This implementation is case-insensitive and will return names containing the specified search query.


Using Higher-Order Functions

Swift's higher-order functions simplify the search process, making the code more concise. We can leverage `filter` to achieve the same result as the linear search.

func search(query: String) -> [String] {
    return names.filter {
$0.lowercased().contains(query.lowercased()) }
}

This version is more concise and still maintains clarity in its functionality.


Incorporating in Your Project

To integrate this minimal search functionality into your project, call the `search` function with the user's input query.

let query = "A"
let searchResults = search(query: query)
print("Search results for '\(query)': \(searchResults)")

Feel free to adapt and customize the search function based on your specific requirements. This minimal approach provides a solid foundation for more advanced search features as your project evolves.


Implementing a minimal search in Swift 5 is a straightforward process that can enhance the user experience in apps. Whether opting for a simple linear search or higher-order functions, Swift's syntax and standard library makes it easy to build efficient and effective search functionality with minimal effort.

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