How to check if an element is in an array

Question or problem with Swift language programming:

In Swift, how can I check if an element exists in an array? Xcode does not have any suggestions for contain, include, or has, and a quick search through the book turned up nothing. Any idea how to check for this? I know that there is a method find that returns the index number, but is there a method that returns a boolean like ruby’s #include??

Example of what I need:

var elements = [1,2,3,4,5]
if elements.contains(5) {
  //do something
}

How to solve the problem:

Solution 1:

Swift 2, 3, 4, 5:

let elements = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
if elements.contains(5) {
    print("yes")
}

contains() is a protocol extension method of SequenceType (for sequences of Equatable elements) and not a global method as in
earlier releases.

Remarks:

• This contains() method requires that the sequence elements
  adopt the Equatable protocol, compare e.g. Andrews’s answer.
• If the sequence elements are instances of a NSObject subclass
  then you have to override isEqual:, see NSObject subclass in Swift: hash vs hashValue, isEqual vs ==.
• There is another – more general – contains() method which does not require the elements to be equatable and takes a predicate as an
  argument, see e.g. Shorthand to test if an object exists in an array for Swift?.

Swift older versions:

let elements = [1,2,3,4,5]
if contains(elements, 5) {
    println("yes")
}

Solution 2:

For those who came here looking for a find and remove an object from an array:

Swift 1

if let index = find(itemList, item) {
    itemList.removeAtIndex(index)
}

Swift 2

if let index = itemList.indexOf(item) {
    itemList.removeAtIndex(index)
}

Swift 3, 4

if let index = itemList.index(of: item) {
    itemList.remove(at: index)
}

Swift 5.2

if let index = itemList.firstIndex(of: item) {
    itemList.remove(at: index)
}

Solution 3:

Use this extension:

extension Array {
    func contains(obj: T) -> Bool {
        return self.filter({$0 as? T == obj}).count > 0
    }
}

Use as:

array.contains(1)

Updated for Swift 2/3

Note that as of Swift 3 (or even 2), the extension is no longer necessary as the global contains function has been made into a pair of extension method on Array, which allow you to do either of:

let a = [ 1, 2, 3, 4 ]

a.contains(2)           // => true, only usable if Element : Equatable

a.contains { $0 < 1 }   // => false

Solution 4:

If you are checking if an instance of a custom class or struct is contained in an array, you’ll need to implement the Equatable protocol before you can use .contains(myObject).

For example:

struct Cup: Equatable {
    let filled:Bool
}

static func ==(lhs:Cup, rhs:Cup) -> Bool { // Implement Equatable
    return lhs.filled == rhs.filled
}

then you can do:

cupArray.contains(myCup)

Tip: The == override should be at the global level, not within your class/struct

Solution 5:

I used filter.

let results = elements.filter { el in el == 5 }
if results.count > 0 {
    // any matching items are in results
} else {
    // not found
}

If you want, you can compress that to

if elements.filter({ el in el == 5 }).count > 0 {
}

Hope that helps.

---

Update for Swift 2

Hurray for default implementations!

if elements.contains(5) {
    // any matching items are in results
} else {
    // not found
}

Hope this helps!