What is the difference between `let` and `var` in swift?

Question

What is the difference between let and var in Apple\'s Swift language?

In my understanding, it is a compiled language but it does not check

Answer 1

It's maybe better to state this difference by the Mutability / Immutability notion that is the correct paradigm of values and instances changeability in Objects space which is larger than the only "constant / variable" usual notions. And furthermore this is closer to Objective C approach.

2 data types: value type and reference type.

In the context of Value Types:

'let' defines a constant value (immutable). 'var' defines a changeable value (mutable).

let aInt = 1   //< aInt is not changeable

var aInt = 1   //< aInt can be changed

In the context of Reference Types:

The label of a data is not the value but the reference to a value.

if aPerson = Person(name:Foo, first:Bar)

aPerson doesn't contain the Data of this person but the reference to the data of this Person.

let aPerson = Person(name:Foo, first:Bar)
               //< data of aPerson are changeable, not the reference

var aPerson = Person(name:Foo, first:Bar)
               //< both reference and data are changeable.

eg:

var aPersonA = Person(name:A, first: a)
var aPersonB = Person(name:B, first: b)

aPersonA = aPersonB

aPersonA now refers to Person(name:B, first: b)

and

let aPersonA = Person(name:A, first: a)
let aPersonB = Person(name:B, first: b)

let aPersonA = aPersonB // won't compile

but

let aPersonA = Person(name:A, first: a)

aPersonA.name = "B" // will compile