How to add spacing between UITableViewCell

How to Add Spacing Between UITableViewCell

Do you want to add some breathing space between the cells in your UITableView? Look no further! In this guide, we'll address the common issue of how to add spacing between UITableViewCell and provide you with easy solutions.

The Problem

Imagine you have a table with cells that each contain an image. You assign the image to the cell using the following code:

cell.imageView.image = [myImages objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];

The problem is that this code causes the image to be enlarged and fit into the whole cell without any spacing between the images.

The Solution

There are a couple of approaches you can take to add spacing between the UITableViewCell. Let's explore two possible solutions:

Solution 1: Adjusting the Image Size and Adding Padding

One way to achieve the desired spacing is to resize the image and add padding. Here's how you can do it:

// Resize the image
UIImage *resizedImage = [self resizeImage:[myImages objectAtIndex:indexPath.row] withSize:CGSizeMake(cell.frame.size.width, cell.frame.size.height - 20)];

// Add padding
UIImageView *paddedImageView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 10, cell.frame.size.width, cell.frame.size.height - 20)];
paddedImageView.contentMode = UIViewContentModeScaleAspectFit;
paddedImageView.image = resizedImage;

// Add the padded image view to the cell
[cell.contentView addSubview:paddedImageView];

In this solution, we first resize the image to fit the cell's dimensions. Then, we create a new UIImageView with added padding and set its content mode to UIViewContentModeScaleAspectFit. Finally, we add the padded image view to the cell's contentView.

Solution 2: Implementing Custom Spacing Using Auto Layout

Another approach is to use Auto Layout to create custom spacing between the cells. Follow these steps to achieve the desired result:

1. Add a new UIImageView as a subview of the cell's contentView.

2. Pin the image view's leading, trailing, top, and bottom constraints to the cell's contentView.

3. Set the image view's content mode to UIViewContentModeScaleAspectFit.

4. Specify the desired spacing by adding a height constraint to the image view. For example, if you want 20 points of spacing, set the height constraint's constant to imageHeight + 20.

Here's an example implementation in code:

let padding: CGFloat = 20

let imageView = UIImageView()
imageView.contentMode = .scaleAspectFit
imageView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false

cell.contentView.addSubview(imageView)

// Add constraints
imageView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: cell.contentView.leadingAnchor).isActive = true
imageView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: cell.contentView.trailingAnchor).isActive = true
imageView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: cell.contentView.topAnchor).isActive = true
imageView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: cell.contentView.bottomAnchor).isActive = true
imageView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: imageHeight + padding).isActive = true

By following these steps, you can customize the spacing between the cells to your liking.

Your Turn

There you have it – two easy solutions to add spacing between UITableViewCell. Now it's your turn to try them out and see which approach works best for you. Don't hesitate to experiment and tweak the code to match your specific requirements.

Have any questions or other solutions to share? Let us know in the comments below! 🚀