Using the split function in Swift 2

Let's say I want to split a string by an empty space. This code snippet works fine in Swift 1.x. It does not work in Swift 2 in Xcode 7 Beta 1.

var str = "Hello Bob"
var foo = split(str) {$0 == " "}

I get the following compiler error:

Cannot invoke 'split' with an argument list of type '(String, (_) -> _)

Anyone know how to call this correctly?

Updated: Added a note that this was for the Xcode 7 beta 1.

split is a method in an extension of CollectionType which, as of Swift 2, String no longer conforms to. Fortunately there are other ways to split a String:

1. Use componentsSeparatedByString:

   "ab cd".componentsSeparatedByString(" ") // ["ab", "cd"]
   

As pointed out by @dawg, this requires you import Foundation.

2. Instead of calling split on a String, you could use the characters of the String. The characters property returns a String.CharacterView, which conforms to CollectionType:

    "😀 🇬🇧".characters.split(" ").map(String.init) // ["😀", "🇬🇧"]
   

3. Make String conform to CollectionType:

    extension String : CollectionType {}
   
    "w,x,y,z".split(",") // ["w", "x", "y", "z"]
   

Although, since Apple made a decision to remove String's conformance to CollectionType it seems more sensible to stick with options one or two.

---

In Swift 3, in options 1 and 2 respectively:

• componentsSeparatedByString(:) has been renamed to components(separatedBy:).
• split(:) has been renamed to split(separator:).

Swift 4

let str = "Hello Bob"
let strSplitArray = str.split(separator: " ")
strSplitArray.first!    // "Hello"
strSplitArray.last!     // "Bob"

Xcode 7.1.1 with Swift 2.1

let str = "Hello Bob"
let strSplit = str.characters.split(" ")
String(strSplit.first!)
String(strSplit.last!)

In Swift 3 componentsSeparatedByString and split is used this way.

let splitArray = "Hello World".components(separatedBy: " ") // ["Hello", "World"]

split

let splitArray = "Hello World".characters.split(separator: " ").map(String.init) // ["Hello", "World"]