#9 Swift Programming - Adding Comments To Your Code

Welcome to Lesson 09 of our Learn Swift with David series! Today, we're diving into a crucial aspect of software development that significantly enhances the maintainability and understandability of your code: adding comments. In this tutorial, David will guide you through the best practices for writing effective comments in Swift. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned developer, understanding how to properly comment your code is essential for both individual projects and collaborative efforts.

Commenting is often overlooked by developers, especially those new to the field, but its importance cannot be overstated. Good comments can save hours of confusion and frustration for anyone who needs to read or modify your code later, including your future self. Swift provides a simple and flexible syntax for adding comments, and adopting a systematic approach to commenting can make a significant difference in your coding practice.

In this video, David will start by explaining the different types of comments in Swift and when to use them. Swift supports both single-line comments, initiated with two forward slashes (`//`), and multi-line comments that start with `/*` and end with `*/`. You’ll learn how each type can be used effectively to document different parts of your code.

Following the basics, David will discuss the concept of "self-documenting code" — writing code that is clear and descriptive on its own. While self-documenting code is ideal, David will illustrate how comments are still necessary to explain the "why" behind the code, not just the "what". You will see examples of how to comment on the purpose of a function, the reasoning behind a complex piece of logic, and configurations that aren’t immediately obvious from the code alone.

Moreover, David will cover the importance of keeping comments up-to-date as the code changes. Outdated comments can be more misleading than no comments at all, so it's crucial to maintain them as diligently as you maintain your code. He’ll provide tips on creating a routine or checklist for reviewing and updating comments, ensuring they always match the current state of the code.

To put theory into practice, David will offer hands-on exercises that you can follow along with in an Xcode playground. These exercises will help you practice writing meaningful comments and revising them as changes occur. By the end of this lesson, you should feel comfortable not only with the syntax of commenting in Swift but also with the strategies for making your comments as helpful and effective as possible.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel and click the bell icon to stay updated on our Swift tutorial series. If you have any questions or need further explanations about commenting in Swift or any other related topics, please leave a comment below. David or one of our team members will be happy to assist you.

Learn the art of commenting in Swift and take a step towards writing cleaner, more maintainable code!

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