---
title: first
framework: swift
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Property
path: swift/array/first
---

# first

The first element of the collection.

## Declaration

```swift
var first: Self.Element? { get }
```

## Discussion

Discussion If the collection is empty, the value of this property is nil. let numbers = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50] if let firstNumber = numbers.first {     print(firstNumber) } // Prints "10"

## See Also

### Accessing Elements

- [subscript(_:)](swift/array/subscript(_:)-25iat.md)
- [last](swift/array/last.md)
- [subscript(_:)](swift/array/subscript(_:)-53fvb.md)
- [subscript(_:)](swift/array/subscript(_:)-3kwny.md)
- [subscript(_:)](swift/array/subscript(_:)-4h7rl.md)
- [subscript(_:)](swift/array/subscript(_:)-3pmfg.md)
- [randomElement()](swift/array/randomelement().md)
- [randomElement(using:)](swift/array/randomelement(using:).md)