Should IBOutlets be strong or weak under ARC?

Question

I am developing exclusively for iOS 5 using ARC. Should IBOutlets to UIViews (and subclasses) be strong or weak?

Answer 1

One thing I wish to point out here, and that is, despite what the Apple engineers have stated in their own WWDC 2015 video here:

https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2015/407/

Apple keeps changing their mind on the subject, which tells us that there is no single right answer to this question. To show that even Apple engineers are split on this subject, take a look at Apple's most recent sample code, and you'll see some people use weak, and some don't.

This Apple Pay example uses weak: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/Emporium/Listings/Emporium_ProductTableViewController_swift.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016175-Emporium_ProductTableViewController_swift-DontLinkElementID_8

As does this picture-in-picture example: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/AVFoundationPiPPlayer/Listings/AVFoundationPiPPlayer_PlayerViewController_swift.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016166-AVFoundationPiPPlayer_PlayerViewController_swift-DontLinkElementID_4

As does the Lister example: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/Lister/Listings/Lister_ListCell_swift.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014701-Lister_ListCell_swift-DontLinkElementID_57

As does the Core Location example: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/PotLoc/Listings/Potloc_PotlocViewController_swift.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016176-Potloc_PotlocViewController_swift-DontLinkElementID_6

As does the view controller previewing example: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/ViewControllerPreviews/Listings/Projects_PreviewUsingDelegate_PreviewUsingDelegate_DetailViewController_swift.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016546-Projects_PreviewUsingDelegate_PreviewUsingDelegate_DetailViewController_swift-DontLinkElementID_5

As does the HomeKit example: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/HomeKitCatalog/Listings/HMCatalog_Homes_Action_Sets_ActionSetViewController_swift.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40015048-HMCatalog_Homes_Action_Sets_ActionSetViewController_swift-DontLinkElementID_23

All those are fully updated for iOS 9, and all use weak outlets. From this we learn that A. The issue is not as simple as some people make it out to be. B. Apple has changed their mind repeatedly, and C. You can use whatever makes you happy :)

Special thanks to Paul Hudson (author of www.hackingwithsift.com) who gave me the clarification, and references for this answer.

I hope this clarifies the subject a bit better!

Take care.