==(_:_:)

Declaration

static func == (lhs: Wrapped?, rhs: Wrapped?) -> Bool

Parameters

• lhs:

  An optional value to compare.

• rhs:

  Another optional value to compare.

Discussion

Use this equal-to operator (==) to compare any two optional instances of a type that conforms to the Equatable protocol. The comparison returns true if both arguments are nil or if the two arguments wrap values that are equal. Conversely, the comparison returns false if only one of the arguments is nil or if the two arguments wrap values that are not equal.

let group1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
let group2 = [1, 3, 5, 7, 9]
if group1.first == group2.first {
    print("The two groups start the same.")
}
// Prints "The two groups start the same."

You can also use this operator to compare a non-optional value to an optional that wraps the same type. The non-optional value is wrapped as an optional before the comparison is made. In the following example, the numberToMatch constant is wrapped as an optional before comparing to the optional numberFromString:

let numberToMatch: Int = 23
let numberFromString: Int? = Int("23")      // Optional(23)
if numberToMatch == numberFromString {
    print("It's a match!")
}
// Prints "It's a match!"

An instance that is expressed as a literal can also be used with this operator. In the next example, an integer literal is compared with the optional integer numberFromString. The literal 23 is inferred as an Int instance and then wrapped as an optional before the comparison is performed.

if 23 == numberFromString {
    print("It's a match!")
}
// Prints "It's a match!"