How to Build a SwiftUI Dynamic List: A Complete Guide

Creating dynamic lists in SwiftUI allows you to present data that updates automatically based on the underlying data source. Unlike a static list, which shows predefined data, a dynamic list adapts to changes such as new items being added or removed. This functionality is vital in scenarios where the data evolves, such as a news app that displays the latest data from a server or a chat app that updates messages as they arrive.

In this guide, we'll explore the fundamentals of SwiftUI dynamic lists, including how to create them, populate them with data, and customize their appearance.

Understanding the Need for Dynamic Lists

Dynamic lists in SwiftUI help you manage data that isn't constant. For example, when working with arrays of user-generated content, you want to ensure that the list updates when the data changes. This is where the dynamic list comes in handy, automatically reflecting updates to your data collection. Using SwiftUI's list view, you can display data without manually updating the user interface. The list structure in SwiftUI, combined with the identifiable protocol, ensures that each element in your dynamic list can be uniquely tracked as the data updates.

Key Advantages of Using Dynamic Lists in SwiftUI

Dynamic lists offer several benefits when building user interfaces in a SwiftUI app:

• Automatically Reflects Data Changes: When the underlying data changes, such as adding or removing elements from an array, the list view automatically updates, making it ideal for presenting data that evolves.

• Simplifies Data Management: Using observable objects and the identifiable protocol, you can efficiently manage complex data sets without needing to write code to track changes manually.

• Improves User Experience: Dynamic lists ensure that users see the most current information, whether it’s the latest messages in a chat or newly added items in a shopping cart.

Building a Basic List in SwiftUI

Using ListView to Display Static Data

A List view in SwiftUI is the core component for displaying data in a scrollable list format. To start with a static list, you can create a list view that shows a predefined set of items. Here is an example:

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1import SwiftUI
2
3struct StaticListView: View {
4    var body: some View {
5        List {
6            Text("Item 1")
7            Text("Item 2")
8            Text("Item 3")
9        }
10    }
11}
12
13struct StaticListView_Previews: PreviewProvider {
14    static var previews: some View {
15        StaticListView()
16    }
17}

In this code, the List view is used to display three Text views as rows, representing a static list. This type of list is useful for presenting data that doesn’t change often, like a list of options or settings. However, for more dynamic needs, where data may change or grow over time, you need to use Identifiable data models.

Understanding Identifiable Protocol for List Items

SwiftUI relies on the Identifiable protocol to differentiate between items in a list. This is especially important when working with dynamic lists, as each item needs a unique identifier to be efficiently tracked and updated.

Here’s how to use the Identifiable protocol:

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1struct Person: Identifiable {
2    var id: UUID = UUID()  // Generates a unique identifier for each instance
3    var name: String
4}
5
6let people = [
7    Person(name: "Alice"),
8    Person(name: "Bob"),
9    Person(name: "Charlie")
10]

In this example, each Person object has a unique id, making it compatible with SwiftUI's List view. The Identifiable protocol allows the list to automatically update when the underlying data changes, ensuring that the correct item is modified. This is crucial when you want to work with arrays that represent a collection of items, like a list of users or messages.

Using ForEach for Improved List Control

While a basic List can display static content, ForEach provides additional flexibility by allowing you to iterate over a collection of items, making it a powerful tool when dealing with dynamic data.

Here’s how you can use ForEach in conjunction with a list:

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1struct DynamicListView: View {
2    let items = ["Apple", "Banana", "Cherry"]
3
4    var body: some View {
5        List {
6            ForEach(items, id: \.self) { item in
7                Text(item)
8            }
9        }
10    }
11}
12
13struct DynamicListView_Previews: PreviewProvider {
14    static var previews: some View {
15        DynamicListView()
16    }
17}

In this example, ForEach iterates over an array of String elements, creating a Text view for each. The id: \.self ensures each String has a unique identifier, which is necessary when using ForEach inside a List view. Using ForEach makes it easier to manage a dynamic list structure since it will automatically add or remove rows as the array changes.

Creating Dynamic Lists with ObservableObject

Building dynamic lists in SwiftUI becomes more powerful when you use ObservableObject to manage the state of your data. By leveraging ObservableObject along with properties like @Published, @StateObject, and EnvironmentObject, you can ensure that your list updates automatically as the underlying data changes.

Introduction to ObservableObject and @Published

In SwiftUI, ObservableObject is a protocol that enables a class to notify its subscribers when data changes. When combined with the @Published property wrapper, you can make specific properties trigger updates whenever their values change, which is particularly useful for dynamic lists that need to reflect real-time changes.

Here’s a simple example of using ObservableObject:

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1import SwiftUI
2import Combine
3
4class ItemStore: ObservableObject {
5    @Published var items: [Item] = [
6        Item(title: "Learn SwiftUI"),
7        Item(title: "Build Dynamic Lists"),
8        Item(title: "Master ObservableObject")
9    ]
10}

In this example, ItemStore conforms to ObservableObject and contains an array of Item instances. The @Published property ensures that whenever the items array changes, any SwiftUI views that observe ItemStore will update automatically.

Updating List Items Dynamically Using @StateObject

@StateObject is used when you need a view to own an instance of an ObservableObject and ensure that the object’s lifecycle is tied to the view’s lifecycle. It is particularly useful when you want to create dynamic lists where changes in data directly reflect in the user interface.

Here’s an example of using @StateObject with ItemStore:

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1struct ContentView: View {
2    @StateObject private var store = ItemStore()
3
4    var body: some View {
5        List {
6            ForEach(store.items) { item in
7                Text(item.title)
8            }
9        }
10        .onAppear {
11            store.items.append(Item(title: "New Dynamic Item"))
12        }
13    }
14}

In this code snippet, @StateObject ensures that store is retained as long as ContentView exists. When new items are added to the items array, the List view automatically updates to reflect the changes.

Handling Data Updates with EnvironmentObject

EnvironmentObject allows you to share ObservableObject instances across multiple SwiftUI views, making it a great choice for managing global state that several views depend on. This is particularly helpful when creating dynamic lists that need to reflect changes across different parts of your SwiftUI app.

To use EnvironmentObject, follow these steps:

1. Create a data store that conforms to ObservableObject.

2. Use .environmentObject() to inject it into the environment.

3. Access the data store in child views using @EnvironmentObject.

Example:

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1// Define the store
2class SharedItemStore: ObservableObject {
3    @Published var items: [Item] = []
4}
5
6// Provide the environment object in the root view
7@main
8struct MyApp: App {
9    @StateObject private var sharedStore = SharedItemStore()
10
11    var body: some Scene {
12        WindowGroup {
13            ContentView()
14                .environmentObject(sharedStore)
15        }
16    }
17}
18
19// Access in a child view
20struct ContentView: View {
21    @EnvironmentObject var store: SharedItemStore
22
23    var body: some View {
24        List {
25            ForEach(store.items) { item in
26                Text(item.title)
27            }
28        }
29    }
30}

With EnvironmentObject, the SharedItemStore is made available to any view in the hierarchy that declares an @EnvironmentObject property. When items in SharedItemStore are updated, the List in ContentView will automatically refresh.

Managing State Changes in Real-Time

Dynamic lists in SwiftUI are effective only when they can respond to real-time data changes. Using a combination of ObservableObject, @Published, and @StateObject, you can ensure that your SwiftUI app reacts instantly to updates in the data. For instance, as new data arrives from a network request or user input, the items array can be modified, and the list view will adjust itself without needing manual UI updates.

Real-time updates can be particularly useful in applications like a news app, where the list must show the latest articles as soon as they become available, or in a chat application where messages should appear as they are received:

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1// Example of adding a new item in real-time
2store.items.append(Item(title: "Latest News"))

In this case, appending a new item to the items array will immediately add it to the list view because of the @Published property on the items array.

Adding Interactivity to the List

In SwiftUI, adding interactivity to your list views can significantly enhance user experience, making your app more dynamic and engaging. By implementing gestures, allowing users to edit or delete list items, and customizing the appearance of list elements, you can create an intuitive interface for interacting with data.

Implementing Tap Gestures for List Items

Tap gestures allow users to interact with individual list items, making it possible to trigger actions when an item is tapped. This is particularly useful in scenarios like navigating to a detail view or performing an action related to the selected item.

Here's how to implement a tap gesture on a list item:

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1struct ContentView: View {
2    @StateObject private var store = ItemStore()
3
4    var body: some View {
5        List(store.items) { item in
6            Text(item.title)
7                .onTapGesture {
8                    print("Tapped on \(item.title)")
9                }
10        }
11    }
12}

In this example, each Text view representing an item in the list has an onTapGesture attached. When an item is tapped, a message with the item’s title is printed to the console. You can replace this action with navigation logic or other desired functionality.

Adding Edit and Delete Functionality

SwiftUI makes it easy to add editing capabilities to lists, including the ability to delete or rearrange items directly in the user interface. By using onDelete and onMove, you can allow users to modify the content of the list.

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1struct EditableListView: View {
2    @StateObject private var store = ItemStore()
3
4    var body: some View {
5        List {
6            ForEach(store.items) { item in
7                Text(item.title)
8            }
9            .onDelete { indexSet in
10                store.items.remove(atOffsets: indexSet)
11            }
12            .onMove { indices, newOffset in
13                store.items.move(fromOffsets: indices, toOffset: newOffset)
14            }
15        }
16        .toolbar {
17            EditButton()
18        }
19    }
20}

In this code snippet:

• The onDelete modifier allows users to swipe to delete an item from the list.

• The onMove modifier enables dragging and rearranging items within the list.

• The EditButton provides a built-in button for toggling edit mode, allowing users to move or delete list items.

This setup creates an interactive list where users can manage the content easily, enhancing the flexibility of the app.

Drag and Drop Support in Lists

Drag-and-drop functionality allows users to rearrange list items by dragging them into a new position. In SwiftUI, this is typically used with onMove but can be extended with more advanced gestures for handling drag and drop between lists.

Example: Conditional Item Reordering with User Roles

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1import SwiftUI
2
3struct RoleBasedReorderView: View {
4    @State private var items = ["Task 1", "Task 2", "Task 3", "Task 4"]
5
6    // Simulate user roles or conditions (e.g., admin or regular user)
7    @State private var isAdmin = false
8
9    var body: some View {
10        NavigationView {
11            List {
12                // Toggle to simulate role change
13                Toggle("Admin Mode", isOn: $isAdmin)
14
15                // ForEach with conditional reordering based on admin privileges
16                ForEach(items, id: \.self) { item in
17                    Text(item)
18                }
19                .onMove(perform: isAdmin ? moveItem : nil) // Conditionally allow reordering
20            }
21            .toolbar {
22                EditButton() // To activate edit mode
23            }
24        }
25    }
26
27    // Function to handle reordering of items
28    private func moveItem(from source: IndexSet, to destination: Int) {
29        items.move(fromOffsets: source, toOffset: destination)
30    }
31}

• Role-Based Control:

This example leverages a boolean isAdmin state to determine whether users can reorder items. You could replace this logic with user roles fetched from a server or app settings.

• Dynamic Behavior with Toggle:

The toggle simulates switching between roles or states (like an "Admin Mode"). This concept could be extended further for more complex conditions.

• Simplifying Movement Logic:

Similar to Sarunw's original tutorial, the onMove modifier dynamically receives either the moveItem function or nil, preventing reordering when not allowed.

• EditButton Usage:

The EditButton activates edit mode, showing drag handles when reordering is enabled.

This approach illustrates how to gate functionality using roles or settings, making it highly relevant for apps with tiered user access

How to conditionally Disable the Reorder ability

In certain scenarios, it may be necessary to disable reordering of items in a SwiftUI list. For example, you might only allow reordering when a user is in a particular mode (such as an admin mode) or under specific conditions (like enabling a toggle). SwiftUI allows developers to achieve this by dynamically controlling whether the onMove function is active.

In the code below, the ability to reorder items is controlled using a Boolean state variable. This approach gives the user flexibility by allowing them to toggle the reorder functionality on or off through UI interaction.

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1struct DraggableListView: View {
2    @State private var items = ["Apple", "Banana", "Orange", "Peach", "Grape"]
3
4     @State private var enableMove = true
5
6    var body: some View {
7        NavigationView {
8            List {
9                ForEach(items, id: \.self) { item in
10                    Text(item)
11                }
12                .onMove(perform: enableMove ? moveItem: nil)
13            }
14            .toolbar {
15                EditButton() // Allows toggling between edit and normal mode
16            }
17        }
18    }
19
20    // Function to update the array when an item is moved
21    private func moveItem(from source: IndexSet, to destination: Int) {
22        items.move(fromOffsets: source, toOffset: destination)
23    }
24}

• Controlling Reordering with a State Variable:

The @State property enableMove determines whether reordering is active. When enableMove is true, the onMove closure is applied, allowing items to be rearranged. If enableMove is false, nil is passed to onMove, disabling the reorder functionality.

• EditButton for Edit Mode:

The EditButton allows users to enter edit mode, which activates the drag handles next to each item, making them draggable.

• Conditional Logic in onMove:

The ternary operator (enableMove ? moveItem : nil) ensures that the list only allows reordering if enableMove is true. This makes the reordering feature dynamic and state-dependent.

• Reordering Logic:

The moveItem function updates the order of the items array using Swift’s built-in move(fromOffsets:toOffset:) method.

This example demonstrates how conditional reordering can be achieved by dynamically enabling or disabling the onMove functionality. This pattern is useful when reordering should only be allowed under certain conditions, such as user roles or app states. It provides fine-grained control over the list's behavior while maintaining a smooth user experience through SwiftUI’s EditButton and onMove functionalities.

Customizing List Item Views

To make the user interface more engaging, you can customize each list item’s appearance using various SwiftUI views like HStack, VStack, or even ZStack for more layered designs. This allows you to add images, icons, or detailed text descriptions to each row.

Example of a customized list item:

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1struct CustomListView: View {
2    var body: some View {
3        List {
4            ForEach(exampleData) { item in
5                HStack {
6                    Image(systemName: "star")
7                        .foregroundColor(.yellow)
8                    VStack(alignment: .leading) {
9                        Text(item.title)
10                            .font(.headline)
11                        Text(item.description)
12                            .font(.subheadline)
13                            .foregroundColor(.gray)
14                    }
15                }
16                .padding(.vertical, 4)
17            }
18        }
19    }
20}

In this example, each list item displays a star icon alongside a title and a description, providing more information in a compact view. Using HStack and VStack, you can organize content to create more informative and visually appealing list items.

Customizing list items like this is particularly useful when displaying detailed data, such as product descriptions, user profiles, or news summaries. It allows you to present more complex data while keeping the UI clean and user-friendly.

Final Thoughts!

In this blog, we have seen how to create and manage a SwiftUI dynamic list, starting with a basic setup and progressing through more advanced features like using ObservableObject, @StateObject, and EnvironmentObject for real-time data updates. You explored how to implement user interactions with tap gestures, enable editing and deletion, and add drag-and-drop support.

Additionally, customizing list item views helps enhance the visual appeal and usability of your lists. By leveraging these concepts, you can build responsive and interactive SwiftUI dynamic lists that provide a seamless user experience in your app.