What Are Protocols?

According to Apple’s Swift Documentation page a protocol is defined as:

[…] a blueprint of methods, properties, and other requirements that suit a particular task or piece of functionality. The protocol can then be adopted by a class, structure, or enumeration to provide an actual implementation of those requirements.

So protocols are like certificates that are adopted by a class, structure, or enumeration.

Since I’m currently learning how to drive by car, let’s take this example to understand protocols better.

The Mandatory Traffic Course As Analogy for Protocols

Some days ago, I completed a boring course that each nascent car driver has to pass.

It’s called the VKU (Verkehrskunde for those who understand German), a four-day course where you learn theoretical aspects about the car and the traffic you must cope with while driving.

Having this certificate proves that you satisfy a bunch of requirements, and you are now able to register yourself for the driving exam.

Now the question arises how do protocols look like in Swift. Here is it:

Defining A Protocol, A Certification respectively

protocol MyProtocol {
	//Define all the requirements
}

struct MyStruct: MyProtocol {}
class MyClass: MyProtocol {}
Definition of a protocol: Adding protocol to classes and structs

As you can see in the picture above, a protocol is similarly defined to classes, structs, and enumerations. It starts with the keyword “protocol,” followed by the capitalized name and a set of curly brackets. Inside them are a bunch of requirements defined.

When a class or struct adopts this protocol, it’s able to meet the protocol requirements and have the skills listed in the protocol (in the picture on line 7 and 8).

Conclusion

What we’ve learned today is that protocols can be understood as certificates. A class or struct who adopted a protocol can meet the requirements and have the protocol’s skills.

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