classes

The struct keyword defines structure.

The class keyword defines class.

Both structures and classes can

• define properties to store values
• define methods to provide functionality
• define subscripts to provide access to their values using subscript syntax
• define initializers to set up their initial state
• be extended to expand their functionality beyond a default implementation
• conform to protocols to provide standard functionality of a certain kind

Additionally for classes

• classes can participate in inheritance
• you can check and interpret the type of a class instance at runtime
• you can define deinitializer to free up any resources it has assigned
• Automatic Reference Counting (ARC) automatically frees up the memory used by class instances when those instances are no longer needed

The . operator is used to access to the members from outside of class.

struct Resolution {
    var width = 0
    var height = 0
    
    fun area() -> Int {
       return width*height
    }
}

class VideoMode {
    var resolution = Resolution()
    var interlaced = false
    var frameRate = 0.0
    var name: String?
    
    fun myFunc(){/* ... */}
}

let someResolution = Resolution()
let someVideoMode = VideoMode()

print("The width of someResolution is \(someResolution.width)")
// Prints "The width of someResolution is 0"

print("The width of someVideoMode is \(someVideoMode.resolution.width)")
// Prints "The width of someVideoMode is 0"

Classes are copied by reference, structures are copied by value.

class A {
    var str = "A"
}

var a = A()
var aCopy = a
aCopy.str = "b"
print(a.str) // print b

struct B {
    var str = "B"
}

var b = B()
var bCopy = b
bCopy.str = "c"
print(b.str) // print B
print(bCopy.str) // print c