Swift: array of dictionaries has count of 1 after initialization but should have 0

Question

var persons = [Dictionary<String, String>()]
println(persons.count)

prints 1. I see that there is an empty dictionary inside the array when it is initialized but is there a way to avoid that and having 0 elements instead of 1? Later I need to be able to do:

persons.append(["firstName": "Foo", "lastName": "Bar"])

Any ideas?

Answer 1

By using this:

[Dictionary<String, String>()]

you are creating an array with one element Dictionary<String, String>()

The correct way is to move the parenthesis after the square brackets:

[Dictionary<String, String>]()

That declares an array of type Dictionary<String, String>, and instantiate it.

Equivalent way of creating it is:

Array<Dictionary<String, String>>()

Answer 2

Just place brackets outside:

var persons = [Dictionary<String, String>]()

Answer 3

Shouldn't it be

var persons = Dictionary<String, String>()
println(persons.count)

or

var persons = [String : String]()
println(persons.count)

but not both syntaxes at the same time?

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/General/Reference/SwiftStandardLibraryReference/Dictionary.html