Architect

Architect is a framework for simplifying view and layout generation in swift.

Installation

Using Carthage add

github "bromas/Architect"

to your Cartfile

DSL

Architect

Use the Architect class to call for the construction of different views.

let label = Architect.label(inView: self.view)

This syntax constructs the label, adds it as a subview, and prepares it for autolayout. Architect contains constructors for standard UIViews, buttons, labels, imageViews, textViews, and textFields. You can also use your own initializer by calling the 'custom' Architect method.

let customSubclass = Architect.custom(SomeUIViewSubclass(), inView: self.view)

All Architect construction methods also accept a trailing block to configure the initialized view.

let label = Architect.label(inView: self.view) { (label) -> void in
  label.text = "Configure me!"
}

####Constrain

Use the Constrain class to add constraints to your views.

Constrain.size(label, with: [.Width: 200])
Constrain.center(label, with: [.Y, 0])
Constrain.center(label, from: imageView, with: [.X, 0])

The above code will set a width constraint, center the labels Y coord in the labels superview, and center the labels X coord relative to the specifed imageView.

Constrain	Effect
size	setting width/height
inset	distance from superview
pin	distance from sibling view
center	relative from center
align (todo)	relative from edge

Constrain methods are now also available as global functions.

####Combining

Architect shines when combining Architect and Constrain calls together.

Example using standard constraint code:

let aLabel = UILabel()
aLabel.setTranslatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints(false)
self.view.addSubview(aLabel)
let constraintX = NSLayoutConstraint(item: aLabel, attribute: .CenterX, relatedBy: .Equal, toItem: self.view, attribute: .CenterX, multiplier: 1.0, constant: 0.0)
let constraintY = NSLayoutConstraint(item: aLabel, attribute: .Bottom, relatedBy: .Equal, toItem: self.view, attribute: .Bottom, multiplier: 1.0, constant: 60.0)
self.view.addConstraints([constraintX, constraintY])
aLabel.text = "Old Style"

Example using Architect:

Architect.label(inView: self.view) {
  inset($0, with: [.Bottom : 60])
  center($0, with: [.X : 0])
  $0.text = "Architect"
}