How to add constraints programmatically using Swift

Question

I\'m trying to figure this out since last week without going any step further. Ok, so I need to apply some constraints programmatically

Answer 1

Try this elegant UIView extension for constraints. You can do constraints easy as:

 - firstView.coverWholeSuperview()
 - firstView.constraints(size: CGSize(width: 44, height: 44), centerX: view.centerXAnchor, centerY: view.centerXAnchor)
 - firstView.constraints(top: view.topAnchor, 
                         leading: secondView.leadingAnchor, 
                         bottom: view.bottomAnchor, 
                         trailing: secondView.trailingAnchor, 
                         padding: UIEdgeInsets(top: 12, left: 12, bottom: 12, right: 12))

Here is extension, just copy it to your project.

extension UIView {
    /// Attaches all sides of the receiver to its parent view
    func coverWholeSuperview(margin: CGFloat = 0.0) {
        let view = superview
        layoutAttachTop(to: view, margin: margin)
        layoutAttachBottom(to: view, margin: margin)
        layoutAttachLeading(to: view, margin: margin)
        layoutAttachTrailing(to: view, margin: margin)

    }

    /// Attaches the top of the current view to the given view's top if it's a superview of the current view
    /// or to it's bottom if it's not (assuming this is then a sibling view).
    @discardableResult
    func layoutAttachTop(to: UIView? = nil, margin: CGFloat = 0.0) -> NSLayoutConstraint {

        let view: UIView? = to ?? superview
        let isSuperview = view == superview
        let constraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: self, attribute: .top, relatedBy: .equal,
                                            toItem: view, attribute: isSuperview ? .top : .bottom, multiplier: 1.0,
                                            constant: margin)
        superview?.addConstraint(constraint)

        return constraint
    }

    /// Attaches the bottom of the current view to the given view
    @discardableResult
    func layoutAttachBottom(to: UIView? = nil, margin: CGFloat = 0.0, priority: UILayoutPriority? = nil) -> NSLayoutConstraint {

        let view: UIView? = to ?? superview
        let isSuperview = (view == superview) || false
        let constraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: self, attribute: .bottom, relatedBy: .equal,
                                            toItem: view, attribute: isSuperview ? .bottom : .top, multiplier: 1.0,
                                            constant: -margin)
        if let priority = priority {
            constraint.priority = priority
        }
        superview?.addConstraint(constraint)

        return constraint
    }

    /// Attaches the leading edge of the current view to the given view
    @discardableResult
    func layoutAttachLeading(to: UIView? = nil, margin: CGFloat = 0.0) -> NSLayoutConstraint {

        let view: UIView? = to ?? superview
        let isSuperview = (view == superview) || false
        let constraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: self, attribute: .leading, relatedBy: .equal,
                                            toItem: view, attribute: isSuperview ? .leading : .trailing, multiplier: 1.0,
                                            constant: margin)
        superview?.addConstraint(constraint)

        return constraint
    }

    /// Attaches the trailing edge of the current view to the given view
    @discardableResult
    func layoutAttachTrailing(to: UIView? = nil, margin: CGFloat = 0.0, priority: UILayoutPriority? = nil) -> NSLayoutConstraint {

        let view: UIView? = to ?? superview
        let isSuperview = (view == superview) || false
        let constraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: self, attribute: .trailing, relatedBy: .equal,
                                            toItem: view, attribute: isSuperview ? .trailing : .leading, multiplier: 1.0,
                                            constant: -margin)
        if let priority = priority {
            constraint.priority = priority
        }
        superview?.addConstraint(constraint)

        return constraint
    }

    // For anchoring View
    struct AnchoredConstraints {
        var top, leading, bottom, trailing, width, height, centerX, centerY: NSLayoutConstraint?
    }

    @discardableResult
    func constraints(top: NSLayoutYAxisAnchor? = nil, leading: NSLayoutXAxisAnchor? = nil, bottom: NSLayoutYAxisAnchor? = nil,
                trailing: NSLayoutXAxisAnchor? = nil, padding: UIEdgeInsets = .zero, size: CGSize = .zero,
                centerX: NSLayoutXAxisAnchor? = nil, centerY: NSLayoutYAxisAnchor? = nil,
                centerXOffset: CGFloat = 0, centerYOffset: CGFloat = 0) -> AnchoredConstraints {

        translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        var anchoredConstraints = AnchoredConstraints()

        if let top = top {
            anchoredConstraints.top = topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: top, constant: padding.top)
        }

        if let leading = leading {
            anchoredConstraints.leading = leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: leading, constant: padding.left)
        }

        if let bottom = bottom {
            anchoredConstraints.bottom = bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: bottom, constant: -padding.bottom)
        }

        if let trailing = trailing {
            anchoredConstraints.trailing = trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: trailing, constant: -padding.right)
        }

        if size.width != 0 {
            anchoredConstraints.width = widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: size.width)
        }

        if size.height != 0 {
            anchoredConstraints.height = heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: size.height)
        }

        if let centerX = centerX {
            anchoredConstraints.centerX = centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: centerX, constant: centerXOffset)
        }

        if let centerY = centerY {
            anchoredConstraints.centerY = centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: centerY, constant: centerYOffset)
        }

        [anchoredConstraints.top, anchoredConstraints.leading, anchoredConstraints.bottom,
         anchoredConstraints.trailing, anchoredConstraints.width,
         anchoredConstraints.height, anchoredConstraints.centerX,
         anchoredConstraints.centerY].forEach { $0?.isActive = true }

        return anchoredConstraints
    }
}

Answer 2

This is one way to adding constraints programmatically

override func viewDidLoad() {
            super.viewDidLoad()


let myLabel = UILabel()
        myLabel.labelFrameUpdate(label: myLabel, text: "Welcome User", font: UIFont(name: "times new roman", size: 40)!, textColor: UIColor.red, textAlignment: .center, numberOfLines: 0, borderWidth: 2.0, BorderColor: UIColor.red.cgColor)
        self.view.addSubview(myLabel)


         let myLabelhorizontalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: myLabel, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: self.view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
        let myLabelverticalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: myLabel, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: self.view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
        let mylabelLeading = NSLayoutConstraint(item: myLabel, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: self.view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading, multiplier: 1, constant: 10)
        let mylabelTrailing = NSLayoutConstraint(item: myLabel, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: self.view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing, multiplier: 1, constant: -10)
        let myLabelheightConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: myLabel, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.height, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 50)
        NSLayoutConstraint.activate(\[myLabelhorizontalConstraint, myLabelverticalConstraint, myLabelheightConstraint,mylabelLeading,mylabelTrailing\])
}

extension UILabel
{
    func labelFrameUpdate(label:UILabel,text:String = "This is sample Label",font:UIFont = UIFont(name: "times new roman", size: 20)!,textColor:UIColor = UIColor.red,textAlignment:NSTextAlignment = .center,numberOfLines:Int = 0,borderWidth:CGFloat = 2.0,BorderColor:CGColor = UIColor.red.cgColor){
        label.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        label.text = text
        label.font = font
        label.textColor = textColor
        label.textAlignment = textAlignment
        label.numberOfLines = numberOfLines
        label.layer.borderWidth = borderWidth
        label.layer.borderColor = UIColor.red.cgColor
    }
}

Answer 3

Updated for Swift 3

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

let redView: UIView = {

    let view = UIView()
    view.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    view.backgroundColor = .red
    return view
}()

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    setupViews()
    setupAutoLayout()
}

func setupViews() {

    view.backgroundColor = .white
    view.addSubview(redView)
}

func setupAutoLayout() {

    // Available from iOS 9 commonly known as Anchoring System for AutoLayout...
    redView.leftAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leftAnchor, constant: 20).isActive = true
    redView.rightAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.rightAnchor, constant: -20).isActive = true

    redView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor).isActive = true
    redView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 300).isActive = true

    // You can also modified above last two lines as follows by commenting above & uncommenting below lines...
    // redView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.topAnchor, constant: 20).isActive = true
    // redView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.bottomAnchor).isActive = true
 }
}

Type of Constraints

 /*
// regular use
1.leftAnchor
2.rightAnchor
3.topAnchor
// intermediate use
4.widthAnchor
5.heightAnchor
6.bottomAnchor
7.centerXAnchor
8.centerYAnchor
// rare use
9.leadingAnchor
10.trailingAnchor
etc. (note: very project to project)
*/

Answer 4

It helps me to learn visually, so this is a supplemental answer.

Boilerplate code

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    let myView = UIView()
    myView.backgroundColor = UIColor.blue
    myView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    view.addSubview(myView)

    // Add constraints code here
    // ...
}

Each of the following examples are independent of the others.

Pin left edge

myView.leading = leadingMargin + 20

Method 1: Anchor Style

let margins = view.layoutMarginsGuide
myView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: margins.leadingAnchor, constant: 20).isActive = true

• In addition to leadingAnchor, there is also trailingAnchor, topAnchor, and bottomAnchor.

Method 2: NSLayoutConstraint Style

NSLayoutConstraint(item: myView, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leadingMargin, multiplier: 1.0, constant: 20.0).isActive = true

• In addition to .leading there is also .trailing, .top, and .bottom.
• In addition to .leadingMargin there is also .trailingMargin, .topMargin, and .bottomMargin.

Set Width and Height

width = 200
height = 100

Method 1: Anchor Style

myView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 200).isActive = true
myView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100).isActive = true

Method 2: NSLayoutConstraint Style

NSLayoutConstraint(item: myView, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.width, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 200).isActive = true
NSLayoutConstraint(item: myView, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.height, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100).isActive = true

Center in container

myView.centerX = centerX
myView.centerY = centerY

Method 1: Anchor Style

myView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerXAnchor).isActive = true
myView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor).isActive = true

Method 2: NSLayoutConstraint Style

NSLayoutConstraint(item: myView, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0).isActive = true
NSLayoutConstraint(item: myView, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0).isActive = true

Notes

• Anchor style is the preferred method over NSLayoutConstraint Style, however it is only available from iOS 9, so if you are supporting iOS 8 then you should still use NSLayoutConstraint Style.
• The examples above showed just the one or two constraints that were being focused on. However, in order to properly place myView in my test project I needed to have four constraints.

Further Reading

• Programmatically Creating Constraints documentation

Answer 5

Constraints for multiple views in playground.

swift 3+

  var yellowView: UIView!
    var redView: UIView!

    override func loadView() {

        // UI

        let view = UIView()
        view.backgroundColor = .white

        yellowView = UIView()
        yellowView.backgroundColor = .yellow
        view.addSubview(yellowView)

        redView = UIView()
        redView.backgroundColor = .red
        view.addSubview(redView)

        // Layout
        redView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        yellowView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
            yellowView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.topAnchor, constant: 20),
            yellowView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor, constant: 20),
            yellowView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 80),
            yellowView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 80),

            redView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.bottomAnchor, constant: -20),
            redView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor,constant: -20),
            redView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 80),
            redView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 80)
            ])

        self.view = view
    }

In my opinion xcode playground is the best place for learning adding constraints programmatically.

Answer 6

You are adding all defined constraints to self.view which is wrong, as width and height constraint should be added to your newView.

Also, as I understand you want to set constant width and height 100:100. In this case you should change your code to:

var constW = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, 
    attribute: .Width, 
    relatedBy: .Equal, 
    toItem: nil, 
    attribute: .NotAnAttribute, 
    multiplier: 1, 
    constant: 100)
newView.addConstraint(constW)

var constH = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, 
    attribute: .Height, 
    relatedBy: .Equal, 
    toItem: nil, 
    attribute: .NotAnAttribute, 
    multiplier: 1, 
    constant: 100)
newView.addConstraint(constH)