Difference Between 2 Ways of Declaring a ViewController Object - swift

Question

So I experimented with these 2 different ways of declaring a ViewController variable and it seemed to offer me the same results. However, I do feel there must be a difference between setting the destinationVC variable because if not, won't people use the more straightforward way of just declaring a new object?
[using segue.destination as! ViewControllerName]
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if segue.identifier == "changeCityName" {
let destinationVC = segue.destination as! ChangeCityViewController
destinationVC.delegate = self
}
}
[using ViewControllerName()]
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if segue.identifier == "changeCityName" {
let destinationVC = ChangeCityViewController()
destinationVC.delegate = self
}
}

Answer 1

In the prepareForSegue method, these two methods of creating a new VC differs greatly.
If you use segue.destination, you refer to the specific VC that the segue is going to, i.e. the one in your storyboard that the segue is connected to. If you create a new VC, then the VC you created won't be the same one as the segue is going to. i.e. you are dealing with a separate VC. Setting the delegate of the newly created VC won't do anything to the VC that is actually being presented.
If you are talking about the difference between using a segue to present a VC and this:
let vc = SomeViewController()
self.present(vc, animated: true)
Then the difference is less. If you use segues, then the views in the view controller will be read from the storyboard (NIB) file. If you create the VC by calling the initializer, you will have to handle adding the views in your view controller class.

Answer 2

Result may be visually same but its not true.
If you don't put any code inside prepare(for segue) still you will get same result(visually)
prepare(for segue) is called when UIViewControllers are connected through storyboard.
Since UIViewControllers are already connected in storyboard, so the destination UIViewController is called on your desired event.
In your first case using (segue.destination as! ViewControllerName) which is correct way of using segue.
Before going further one more thing is to be discussed about and that is
Why we are required to write code inside prepare(for segue) if its already connect through storyboard
1.From one button action you can connect several segues depending on your requirements, but each time button is pressed same prepare(for segue) method will be called, so to differentiate which UIViewController is to be called we do something like this
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if(segue.identifier == "FirstViewControllerIdentifier")
{
}else if(segue.identifier == "SecondViewControllerIdentifier"){
}else if(segue.identifier == "ThirdViewControllerIdentifier"){
}else{
// and so no
}
}
Now here we get object of destination controller(UIViewController) already being prepared.So we are not required to make a new object of destination controller
2.We can pass data to destination controller and also we can set delegate
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if(segue.identifier == "FirstViewControllerIdentifier")
{
// here we get object of first view controller and set delegate
let firstVC = segue.destination as! FirstViewController
firstVC.delegate = self
}else if(segue.identifier == "SecondViewControllerIdentifier"){
// here we get object of second view controller and pass some data to it
let secondVC = segue.destination as! SecondViewController
secondVC.someData = someData
}else if(segue.identifier == "ThirdViewControllerIdentifier"){
}else{
// and so no
}
}
Now in your second case using ViewControllerName() (the wrong code)
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if(segue.identifier == "FirstViewControllerIdentifier")
{
// here we create object of first view controller.This object is different from the destination view controller
//you create an object and set a delegate but after that you are not using that object and that object is totallu useless.
let firstVC = FirstViewController()
firstVC.delegate = self
// above code does not affect any thing but the contoller which is to be presented is destination view controller which is connected through storyboard
}
}
Hope you understand how to use segue and let me know if there is any problem