How do I shuffle an array in Swift?

Question

How do I randomize or shuffle the elements within an array in Swift? For example, if my array consists of 52 playing cards, I want to shuffle the array in order to shuffle the deck.

Answer 1

Swift 3 solution, following @Nate Cook answer: (work if the index starts with 0, see comments below)

extension Collection {
    /// Return a copy of `self` with its elements shuffled
    func shuffle() -> [Generator.Element] {
        var list = Array(self)
        list.shuffleInPlace()
        return list
    } }

extension MutableCollection where Index == Int {
    /// Shuffle the elements of `self` in-place.
    mutating func shuffleInPlace() {
        // empty and single-element collections don't shuffle
        if count < 2 { return }
        let countInt = count as! Int

    for i in 0..<countInt - 1 {
        let j = Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(countInt - i))) + i
            guard i != j else { continue }
            swap(&self[i], &self[j])
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

You can use generic swap function as well and implement mentioned Fisher-Yates:

for idx in 0..<arr.count {
  let rnd = Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(idx)))
  if rnd != idx {
    swap(&arr[idx], &arr[rnd])
  }
}

or less verbose:

for idx in 0..<steps.count {
  swap(&steps[idx], &steps[Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(idx)))])
}

Answer 3

In Swift 4.2, there is now a method for both a mutable shuffle and immutable shuffled. You can read more about the random generation and array stuff here.

Answer 4

In Swift 2.0, GameplayKit may come to the rescue! (supported by iOS9 or later)

import GameplayKit

func shuffle() {
    array = GKRandomSource.sharedRandom().arrayByShufflingObjectsInArray(array)
}

Answer 5

This is what I use:

import GameplayKit

extension Collection {
    func shuffled() -> [Iterator.Element] {
        let shuffledArray = (self as? NSArray)?.shuffled()
        let outputArray = shuffledArray as? [Iterator.Element]
        return outputArray ?? []
    }
    mutating func shuffle() {
        if let selfShuffled = self.shuffled() as? Self {
            self = selfShuffled
        }
    }
}

// Usage example:

var numbers = [1,2,3,4,5]
numbers.shuffle()

print(numbers) // output example: [2, 3, 5, 4, 1]

print([10, "hi", 9.0].shuffled()) // output example: [hi, 10, 9]

Answer 6

Swift 4 Shuffle the elements of an array in a for loop where i is the mixing ratio

var cards = [Int]() //Some Array
let i = 4 // is the mixing ratio
func shuffleCards() {
    for _ in 0 ..< cards.count * i {
        let card = cards.remove(at: Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(cards.count))))
        cards.insert(card, at: Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(cards.count))))
    }
}

Or with extension Int

func shuffleCards() {
    for _ in 0 ..< cards.count * i {
        let card = cards.remove(at: cards.count.arc4random)
        cards.insert(card, at: cards.count.arc4random)
    }
}
extension Int {
    var arc4random: Int {
        if self > 0 {
            print("Arc for random positiv self \(Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(self))))")
        return Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(self)))
        } else if self < 0 {
            print("Arc for random negotiv self \(-Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(abs(self)))))")
            return -Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(abs(self))))
        } else {
            print("Arc for random equal 0")
            return 0
        }
    }
}