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

Do you plan to have a squared UIView of width: 100 and Height: 100 centered inside the UIView of an UIViewController? If so, you may try one of the 6 following Auto Layout styles (Swift 5 / iOS 12.2):

---

1. Using NSLayoutConstraint initializer

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let horizontalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    let verticalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    let widthConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.width, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100)
    let heightConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.height, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100)
    view.addConstraints([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint, widthConstraint, heightConstraint])
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let horizontalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    let verticalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    let widthConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.width, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100)
    let heightConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.height, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint, widthConstraint, heightConstraint])
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0).isActive = true
    NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0).isActive = true
    NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.width, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100).isActive = true
    NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.height, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: nil, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 100).isActive = true
}

---

2. Using Visual Format Language

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let views = ["view": view!, "newView": newView]
    let horizontalConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "H:[view]-(<=0)-[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions.alignAllCenterY, metrics: nil, views: views)
    let verticalConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "V:[view]-(<=0)-[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions.alignAllCenterX, metrics: nil, views: views)
    view.addConstraints(horizontalConstraints)
    view.addConstraints(verticalConstraints)
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let views = ["view": view!, "newView": newView]
    let horizontalConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "H:[view]-(<=0)-[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions.alignAllCenterY, metrics: nil, views: views)
    let verticalConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "V:[view]-(<=0)-[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions.alignAllCenterX, metrics: nil, views: views)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate(horizontalConstraints)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate(verticalConstraints)
}

---

3. Using a mix of NSLayoutConstraint initializer and Visual Format Language

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let views = ["newView": newView]
    let widthConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "H:[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions(rawValue: 0), metrics: nil, views: views)
    let heightConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "V:[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions(rawValue: 0), metrics: nil, views: views)
    let horizontalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    let verticalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    view.addConstraints(widthConstraints)
    view.addConstraints(heightConstraints)
    view.addConstraints([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint])
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let views = ["newView": newView]
    let widthConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "H:[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions(rawValue: 0), metrics: nil, views: views)
    let heightConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "V:[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions(rawValue: 0), metrics: nil, views: views)
    let horizontalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    let verticalConstraint = NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate(widthConstraints)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate(heightConstraints)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint])
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let views = ["newView": newView]
    let widthConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "H:[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions(rawValue: 0), metrics: nil, views: views)
    let heightConstraints = NSLayoutConstraint.constraints(withVisualFormat: "V:[newView(100)]", options: NSLayoutConstraint.FormatOptions(rawValue: 0), metrics: nil, views: views)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate(widthConstraints)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate(heightConstraints)
    NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerX, multiplier: 1, constant: 0).isActive = true
    NSLayoutConstraint(item: newView, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, relatedBy: NSLayoutConstraint.Relation.equal, toItem: view, attribute: NSLayoutConstraint.Attribute.centerY, multiplier: 1, constant: 0).isActive = true
}

---

4. Using UIView.AutoresizingMask

Note: Springs and Struts will be translated into corresponding auto layout constraints at runtime.

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 100, height: 100))
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)

    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = true
    newView.center = CGPoint(x: view.bounds.midX, y: view.bounds.midY)
    newView.autoresizingMask = [UIView.AutoresizingMask.flexibleLeftMargin, UIView.AutoresizingMask.flexibleRightMargin, UIView.AutoresizingMask.flexibleTopMargin, UIView.AutoresizingMask.flexibleBottomMargin]
}

---

5. Using NSLayoutAnchor

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)
    
    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let horizontalConstraint = newView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerXAnchor)
    let verticalConstraint = newView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor)
    let widthConstraint = newView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100)
    let heightConstraint = newView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100)
    view.addConstraints([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint, widthConstraint, heightConstraint])
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)
    
    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    let horizontalConstraint = newView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerXAnchor)
    let verticalConstraint = newView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor)
    let widthConstraint = newView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100)
    let heightConstraint = newView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100)
    NSLayoutConstraint.activate([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint, widthConstraint, heightConstraint])
}

override func viewDidLoad() {
    let newView = UIView()
    newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
    view.addSubview(newView)
    
    newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    newView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerXAnchor).isActive = true
    newView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor).isActive = true
    newView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100).isActive = true
    newView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 100).isActive = true
}

---

6. Using intrinsicContentSize and NSLayoutAnchor

import UIKit

class CustomView: UIView {
    
    override var intrinsicContentSize: CGSize {
        return CGSize(width: 100, height: 100)
    }
    
}

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        let newView = CustomView()
        newView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
        view.addSubview(newView)
        
        newView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        let horizontalConstraint = newView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerXAnchor)
        let verticalConstraint = newView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor)
        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([horizontalConstraint, verticalConstraint])
    }
    
}

---

Result: