Code Style. Swift

Use this page to configure formatting options for Swift files. When you change these settings, the Preview pane shows how this will affect your code.

Set from...

Click this link to reveal the list of languages to be used as the base for the current language code style. Only the settings that are applicable to the current language are taken. All the other settings are not affected.

Click Reset to discard changes and return to the initial set of code style settings.

Tabs and Indents

Item	Description
Use tab character	If this checkbox is selected, tab characters are used: On pressing the `⇥` key For indentation For code reformatting When the checkbox is cleared, AppCode uses spaces instead of tabs.
Smart tabs	If this checkbox is selected, the part of indentation defined by the nesting of code blocks, is made of the tabs and (if necessary) spaces, while the part of indentation defined by the alignment is made only of spaces. If this checkbox is cleared, only tabs are used. This means that a group of spaces that fits the specified tab size is automatically replaced with a tab, which may result in breaking fine alignment. The Smart tabs checkbox is available if the Use tab character checkbox is selected.
Tab size	In this field, specify the number of spaces included in a tab.
Indent	In this field, specify the number of spaces to be inserted for each indent level.
Continuation indent	In this field, specify the number of spaces to be inserted between the elements of an array, in expressions, method declarations and method calls.
Keep indents on empty lines	If this checkbox is selected, AppCode will keep indents on the empty lines as if they contained some code. If this checkbox is cleared, AppCode will delete the tab characters and spaces.
Chained method indent	In this field, specify the number of spaces to be inserted before each chained method call. You can set up the chained method indentation style in Wrapping and Braces \| Chained method calls.
Indent multiline strings	If this checkbox is selected, the multiline strings will be indented.
Directives	Follow code indent: if the checkbox is selected, conditional compilation blocks will be indented to match the surrounding code. Indent children: if the checkbox is selected, the statements within conditional compilation blocks will be indented. The option is available when the Follow code indent is selected.

Spaces

Use this tab to specify where you want spaces in your code. To have AppCode automatically insert a space at a location, select the checkbox next to this location in the list. The results are displayed in the preview pane.

Wrapping and Braces

In this tab, customize the code style options, which AppCode will apply on reformatting the source code. The left-hand pane contains the list of exceptions (Keep when reformatting), and placement and alignment options for the various code constructs (lists, statements, operations, annotations, and so on) The right-hand pane shows the preview.

Alignment takes precedence over indentation options.

Hard wrap at

Use the Hard wrap at field to specify a margin space required on the right side of an element. If you select the Default option, then a value of the right margin from the global settings is used.

Wrap on typing

Use the Wrap on typing settings to specify how the edited text is fitted in the specified Hard wrap at:

Default: in this case AppCode uses the Wrap on typing option that is specified in the global settings.
Yes: in this case AppCode uses the value specified in the Right Margin field.
No: in this case this option is switched off and a line can exceed the value specified in the right margin.

Visual guides

Use the Visual guides field to specify multiple right margins. You can leave a default value or enter the number of spaces for your margin. If you want to specify several margins, enter numbers separated by comma.

Keep when reformatting

Use the checkboxes to configure exceptions that AppCode will make when reformatting the source code. For example, by default, the Line breaks checkbox is selected. If your code contains lines that are shorter than a standard convention, you can convert them by disabling the Line breaks checkbox before you reformat the source code.

Item	Description	By default
Line breaks	If this option is selected, line breaks will be kept after reformatting the code. Otherwise, the lines that are shorter than a standard convention will be merged into one line.	Selected
Comment at first column	If this option is selected, comments placed at the first column won't change their position after reformatting the code. Otherwise, such comments will align with the next line of code.	Selected
Blocks and (trailing) closures in one line	If this option is selected, single-line blocks and trailing closures will be kept in one line after reformatting the code. Otherwise, they will expand into multiple lines.	Deselected
Methods and functions in one line	If this option is selected, single-line functions and methods will be kept in one line after reformatting the code. Otherwise, they will expand into multiple lines.	Deselected
Empty type declarations in one line	If this option is selected, empty type declarations will be kept in one line after reformatting the code. Otherwise, they will expand into multiple lines.	Deselected
Closure arguments in one line	If this option is selected, simple closure arguments in parentheses `()` will be kept in one line after reformatting the code. Otherwise, they will expand into multiple lines.	Selected

Wrapping options

The wrapping style applies to the various code constructs, specified in the left-hand pane (for example, method call arguments, method declaration parameters, or assignment statements).

Item	Description
Wrapping style	From this list, select the desired wrapping style: Do not wrap: when this option is selected, no special wrapping style is applied. With this option selected, the nested alignment and braces settings are ignored. Wrap if long: select this option to have lines going beyond the right margin wrapped with proper indentation. Wrap always: select this option to have all elements in lists wrapped, so that there is one element per line with proper indentation. Chop down if long: select this option to have elements in lists that go beyond the right margin wrapped, so that there is one element per line with proper indentation.

Item

Description

Wrapping style

From this list, select the desired wrapping style:

Do not wrap: when this option is selected, no special wrapping style is applied.
With this option selected, the nested alignment and braces settings are ignored.
Wrap if long: select this option to have lines going beyond the right margin wrapped with proper indentation.
Wrap always: select this option to have all elements in lists wrapped, so that there is one element per line with proper indentation.
Chop down if long: select this option to have elements in lists that go beyond the right margin wrapped, so that there is one element per line with proper indentation.

Alignment options

Item	Description
Align when multiline	If this checkbox is selected, a code construct starts at the same column on each next line. Otherwise, the position of a code construct is determined by the current indentation level.
Align parenthesised when multiline	If this checkbox is selected, a parenthesised code construct starts at the column of the opening parenthesis each next line. Otherwise, the position of a code construct is determined by the current indentation level.
Align in columns	If this checkbox is selected, the variables names, types and initializers are aligned in columns, each variable on next line, as in example: Before var myName: String var myTitle: String var myOrderNumber: Int After var myName: String var myTitle: String var myOrderNumber: Int
'else' on new line	Use this checkbox to have the corresponding statements or characters moved to the next line.
Special 'else if' treatment	If this checkbox is selected, `else if` statements are located in the same line. Otherwise, `else if` statements are moved to the next line to the corresponding indent level.
Indent 'case' branches	If this checkbox is selected, the `case` statement is located at the corresponding indent level. Otherwise, `case` statement is placed at the same indent level with `switch`.

Braces placement options

Item	Description
Braces placement style	Use this list to specify the position of the opening brace in class declarations, method declarations, and other types of declarations. The available options are: End of line: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the declaration line end. Next line if wrapped: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the beginning of the line after the multiline declaration line. Next line: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the beginning of the line after the declaration line. Next line shifted: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the line after the declaration line being shifted to the corresponding indent level. Next line, each shifted: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the line after the declaration line being shifted to the corresponding indent level, and have the next line shifted to the next indent level as well.

Item

Description

Braces placement style

Use this list to specify the position of the opening brace in class declarations, method declarations, and other types of declarations. The available options are:

End of line: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the declaration line end.
Next line if wrapped: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the beginning of the line after the multiline declaration line.
Next line: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the beginning of the line after the declaration line.
Next line shifted: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the line after the declaration line being shifted to the corresponding indent level.
Next line, each shifted: select this option to have the opening brace placed at the line after the declaration line being shifted to the corresponding indent level, and have the next line shifted to the next indent level as well.

Blank lines

Use this tab to define where and how many blank lines you want AppCode to retain and insert in your code after reformatting. For each type of location, specify the number of blank lines to be inserted. The results are displayed in the preview pane.

Item	Description
Keep maximum blank lines	In this area, specify the number of blank lines to be kept after reformatting in the specified locations.
Minimum blank lines	In this area, specify the number of blank lines to be present in the specified locations. These settings do not influence the number of blank lines before the first and after the last item.

Code generation

Use this tab to configure formatting options for generated code.

General

Item

Description

Prefer Void over ()

Select this checkbox to have the Void return type instead of () in generated code.

Prefer Void over (): ON	Prefer Void over (): OFF
override func dismiss( animated flag: Bool, completion: (() -> Void)? ) { // ... }	override func dismiss( animated flag: Bool, completion: (() -> ())? ) { // ... }

Prefer explicit return

Select this checkbox to have the return keyword in generated single-expression functions.

If you want to get rid of explicit return keywords in your existing code, use the Redundant return inspection (Preferences | Editor | Inspections | Swift).

Prefer explicit return: ON	Prefer explicit return: OFF
override func isProxy() -> Bool { return super.isProxy() }	override func isProxy() -> Bool { super.isProxy() }

General

Item

Description

Line comment at first column

Select this checkbox to have generated line comments placed in the first column.

Add a space at line comment start

Select this checkbox to have a space placed after // in generated line comments. This option is available only if the Line comment at first column checkbox is deselected.

Enforce on reformat

Select this checkbox to add missing spaces after // when code reformatting is invoked (⌃ ⌥ L). This option is available only if the Add a space at line comment start checkbox is selected.

Block comment at first column

Select this checkbox to have generated block comments placed in the first column.

Add spaces around block comments

Select this checkbox to add spaces after /* and before /* when commenting code with block comments (⌃ ⇧ /).

Add spaces around block comments: ON	Add spaces around block comments: OFF
`/* Block comment */`	`/Block comment/`

For more information on comments formatting, refer to Comments formatting.

Last modified: 20 January 2022