Custom result builder declaration in Swift - Time & Space Complexity

Time Complexity: Custom result builder declaration

O(n)

Understanding Time Complexity

When we create a custom result builder in Swift, it helps us combine multiple pieces of code into one result.

We want to understand how the time it takes to build the result changes as we add more pieces.

Scenario Under Consideration

Analyze the time complexity of the following code snippet.

@resultBuilder
struct MyBuilder {
    static func buildBlock(_ components: String...) -> String {
        components.joined(separator: ", ")
    }
}

func makeSentence(@MyBuilder content: () -> String) -> String {
    content()
}

let sentence = makeSentence {
    "Hello"
    "world"
    "from"
    "Swift"
}
print(sentence)
    

This code defines a simple custom result builder that joins strings together, then uses it to build a sentence.

Identify Repeating Operations

Identify the loops, recursion, array traversals that repeat.

• Primary operation: Joining an array of strings using joined(separator:).
• How many times: The join operation processes each string once, so it runs once over all input strings.

How Execution Grows With Input

As we add more strings to the builder, the join operation must combine all of them into one string.

Input Size (n)	Approx. Operations
10	Processes 10 strings once
100	Processes 100 strings once
1000	Processes 1000 strings once

Pattern observation: The work grows directly with the number of strings added.

Final Time Complexity

Time Complexity: O(n)

This means the time to build the result grows linearly with the number of components.

Common Mistake

[X] Wrong: "The builder runs once per string, so time grows faster than linearly."

[OK] Correct: The builder collects all strings first, then joins them in one step, so it only processes the list once.

Interview Connect

Understanding how custom builders combine multiple inputs helps you reason about code efficiency and scalability in real projects.

Self-Check

"What if the builder combined nested arrays of strings instead of a flat list? How would the time complexity change?"

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of declaring a @resultBuilder in Swift?

easy

A. To handle errors automatically in functions

B. To create a new data type like a class or struct

C. To optimize memory usage during runtime

D. To define how multiple code parts combine into a single result

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of @resultBuilder

   A @resultBuilder is used to customize how multiple code blocks combine into one result, making code cleaner.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Options A, B, and D describe unrelated concepts like error handling, data types, and optimization, which are not the purpose of result builders.

3. Final Answer:

   To define how multiple code parts combine into a single result -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Result builder = combine code parts [OK]

Hint: Result builders combine code parts into one result [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing result builders with classes or structs
• Thinking result builders handle errors
• Assuming result builders optimize memory

2. Which of the following is the correct way to start declaring a custom result builder in Swift?

easy

A. @resultBuilder struct MyBuilder { static func buildBlock() -> String { "" } }

B. @resultBuilder class MyBuilder { func buildBlock() {} }

C. class MyBuilder { func buildBlock() -> Int { 0 } }

D. struct MyBuilder { static func buildBlock() {} }

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct syntax for result builder

   A custom result builder must be declared with @resultBuilder attribute on a struct, and have static methods like buildBlock returning a value.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   @resultBuilder struct MyBuilder { static func buildBlock() -> String { "" } } correctly uses @resultBuilder, declares a struct, and has a static buildBlock method returning a String. The other options miss the attribute, use class instead of struct, or have non-static buildBlock.

3. Final Answer:

   @resultBuilder struct MyBuilder { static func buildBlock() -> String { "" } } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Result builder = @resultBuilder + struct + static methods [OK]

Hint: Use @resultBuilder on a struct with static buildBlock method [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using class instead of struct for result builder
• Forgetting the @resultBuilder attribute
• Making buildBlock non-static

3. Given this custom result builder and usage, what is the output?

 @resultBuilder
struct IntSumBuilder {
    static func buildBlock(_ numbers: Int...) -> Int {
        numbers.reduce(0, +)
    }
}

func sum(@IntSumBuilder _ content: () -> Int) -> Int {
    content()
}

let result = sum {
    5
    10
    3
}
print(result)

medium

A. 5103

B. 18

C. Error: buildBlock requires array

D. 0

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand buildBlock behavior

   The buildBlock method takes multiple Int values and sums them using reduce(0, +).

2. Step 2: Evaluate the sum call

   The closure passed to sum returns three Int values: 5, 10, and 3. The builder sums them: 5 + 10 + 3 = 18.

3. Final Answer:

   18 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Sum of 5, 10, 3 = 18 [OK]

Hint: buildBlock sums all Int inputs passed in closure [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking values concatenate as strings
• Expecting buildBlock to receive an array instead of variadic
• Confusing output with zero or error

4. Identify the error in this custom result builder declaration:

 @resultBuilder
struct TextBuilder {
    func buildBlock(_ components: String...) -> String {
        components.joined(separator: ", ")
    }
}

medium

A. buildBlock must be static

B. buildBlock must return Int

C. struct cannot be used with @resultBuilder

D. buildBlock cannot take variadic parameters

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method requirements in result builder

   Methods like buildBlock inside a @resultBuilder must be declared as static so they can be called without an instance.

2. Step 2: Analyze the given code

   The buildBlock method is missing the static keyword, which causes a compile error.

3. Final Answer:

   buildBlock must be static -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   buildBlock method = static [OK]

Hint: buildBlock must always be static in result builders [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting static keyword on buildBlock
• Thinking buildBlock must return Int always
• Believing struct can't be used with @resultBuilder

5. You want to create a custom result builder that builds a dictionary from key-value pairs written inside a closure. Which of the following buildBlock implementations correctly combines multiple (String, Int) tuples into a single dictionary?

hard

A. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [String: Int] { pairs.map { [$0.0: $0.1] } }

B. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: [(String, Int)]) -> [String: Int] { pairs.reduce([:]) { $0 + $1 } }

C. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [String: Int] { Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues: pairs) }

D. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [(String, Int)] { pairs }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the goal

   The builder should combine multiple key-value pairs into a single dictionary.

2. Step 2: Analyze each option

   static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [String: Int] { Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues: pairs) } uses Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues:) which correctly creates a dictionary from tuples. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: [(String, Int)]) -> [String: Int] { pairs.reduce([:]) { $0 + $1 } } tries to reduce with + which is invalid for dictionaries. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [String: Int] { pairs.map { [$0.0: $0.1] } } maps to an array of dictionaries, not a single dictionary. static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [(String, Int)] { pairs } returns an array of tuples, not a dictionary.

3. Final Answer:

   static func buildBlock(_ pairs: (String, Int)...) -> [String: Int] { Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues: pairs) } -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues:) to combine tuples [OK]

Hint: Use Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues:) to build dictionary from tuples [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Returning array of dictionaries instead of one dictionary
• Using invalid + operator to combine dictionaries
• Returning array of tuples instead of dictionary