How to split an array in half in Swift?

You can make an extension so it can return an array of two arrays, working with Ints, Strings, etc:

extension Array {
    func split() -> [[Element]] {
        let ct = self.count
        let half = ct / 2
        let leftSplit = self[0 ..< half]
        let rightSplit = self[half ..< ct]
        return [Array(leftSplit), Array(rightSplit)]
    }
}

let deck = ["J", "Q", "K", "A"]
let nums = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]

deck.split() // [["J", "Q"], ["K", "A"]]
nums.split() // [[0, 1], [2, 3, 4]]

But returning a named tuple is even better, because it enforces the fact that you expect exactly two arrays as a result:

extension Array {
    func split() -> (left: [Element], right: [Element]) {
        let ct = self.count
        let half = ct / 2
        let leftSplit = self[0 ..< half]
        let rightSplit = self[half ..< ct]
        return (left: Array(leftSplit), right: Array(rightSplit))
    }
}

let deck = ["J", "Q", "K", "A"]

let splitDeck = deck.split()
print(splitDeck.left) // ["J", "Q"]
print(splitDeck.right) // ["K", "A"]

Note: credits goes to Andrei and Qbyte for giving the first correct answer, I'm just adding info.

You can use subscript range

let deck: [String] = ["J", "Q", "K", "A"]

// use ArraySlice only for transient computation
let leftSplit: ArraySlice<String> = deck[0 ..< deck.count / 2] // "J", "Q"
let rightSplit: ArraySlice<String> = deck[deck.count / 2 ..< deck.count] // "K", "A"

// make arrays from ArraySlice
let leftDeck: [String] = Array(leftSplit) // "J", "Q"
let rightDeck: [String] = Array(rightSplit) // "K", "A"

EDIT: above code is for Swift 2, maybe for Swift 3 is a more convenient way.

Swift

More generic solution to split the array into chunks the answer from this link

extension Array {
    func chunked(into size: Int) -> [[Element]] {
        return stride(from: 0, to: count, by: size).map {
            Array(self[$0 ..< Swift.min($0 + size, count)])
        }
    }
}
let numbers = Array(1...100)
let result = numbers.chunked(into: 5)

And one more realization of previously provided ideas. Firstly, up to Swift current documentation, it is better to choose names in past simple tense for functions that produce some result and present tense for mutating ones. As second, as for me, it is better to choose half adding count % 2 to give more uniformed result.

Here is it:

extension Array {
    func devided() -> ([Element], [Element]) {
        let half = count / 2 + count % 2
        let head = self[0..<half]
        let tail = self[half..<count]

        return (Array(head), Array(tail))
    }
}

And results:

let set1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8]
let set2 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
let set3 = [1]
let set4 = [Int]()

print(set1.devided())
print(set2.devided())
print(set3.devided())
print(set4.devided())

([1, 2, 3, 4], [5, 6, 7, 8])
([1, 2, 3], [4, 5])
([1], [])
([], [])

You can create an extension on SequenceType, and create a function named divide.

This function would iterate through the elements of the sequence while placing those that match the predicate into one array (slice) and those that do not match into another array (remainder).

The function returns a tuple containing the slice and the remainder.

extension SequenceType {

    /**
     Returns a tuple with 2 arrays.
     The first array (the slice) contains the elements of self that match the predicate.
     The second array (the remainder) contains the elements of self that do not match the predicate.
     */
    func divide(@noescape predicate: (Self.Generator.Element) -> Bool) -> (slice: [Self.Generator.Element], remainder: [Self.Generator.Element]) {
        var slice:     [Self.Generator.Element] = []
        var remainder: [Self.Generator.Element] = []
        forEach {
            switch predicate($0) {
            case true  : slice.append($0)
            case false : remainder.append($0)
            }
        }
        return (slice, remainder)
    }

}

This is an example

let tuple = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].divide({ $0 >= 3 })
tuple.slice     // [3, 4, 5]
tuple.remainder // [1, 2]