Swift Algorithms & Data Structures - 5th Edition

The Swift language has become the cornerstone of Apple development, powering solutions for iPhone, WatchOS, VisionOS, server-based solutions and beyond. This online book provides complete implementations of essential algorithms, data structures and mathematics in modern Swift, going beyond pseudocode to show you how these concepts work in production code.

What you’ll learn

  • Master Big O notation and learn to evaluate algorithmic efficiency
  • Comparing linear and binary search, understand constant time operations and sorting algorithms
  • Build type-safe, reusable code using Swift’s generic system
  • Create linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, and hash tables from scratch
  • Explore tries, heaps, dynamic programming, and graph algorithms like PageRank
  • Learn linear algebra fundamentals for data science, including working with vectors and matrices
  • Apply vector mathematics to create customized semantic search models

Audience

This book is designed for:

  • Swift developers looking to strengthen their computer science fundamentals
  • Experienced developers in other languages interested in learning Swift
  • Interview candidates preparing for technical coding interviews
  • Developers interested in data science
  • Educators looking for teaching materials related to computer science or mathematics

Contributing

This book is actively maintained and continuously improved. Your feedback helps make it better:

  • Found a typo or code error? Submit a small PR for obvious corrections
  • Something unclear? Open an issue to suggest improvements

All substantive content decisions remain with the author to maintain pedagogical consistency and voice.

  • Quiver Package - A Swift package that provides vector mathematics, numerical computing, and statistical operations.
  • Structures Package - Examples of commonly used algorithms and data structures in Swift Package format.

About the Author

Wayne is a technologist dedicated to making complex technology accessible and impactful, with experience spanning software development, technical writing, education, and emerging AI technologies.