How to Make VStack Clickable in iOS SwiftUI

The magic of SwiftUI lies in its interactivity. Understanding how to handle events such as clicks is key to building engaging applications. Let’s explore how to make an entire VStack clickable using an example.

A Closer Look at VStack

VStack is a fundamental layout component in SwiftUI that stacks views vertically. Although it doesn’t inherently respond to click events, there are ways to make an entire VStack clickable by leveraging its child views and specific modifiers.

Make VStack Clickable

To make an entire VStack respond to a click event, we can use the .contentShape and .onTapGesture modifiers. Let’s examine a simple example:

Step 1: Create a VStack

Here, we set up a VStack with a couple of Text views, and apply a spacing of 50 between them.

VStack(spacing: 50) {
  Text("This is VStack")
  Text("It is clickable")
}

Step 2: Apply .contentShape Modifier

The .contentShape modifier is used to expand the tappable area to the entire VStack. The Rectangle() argument makes the whole area of VStack responsive to taps.

VStack(spacing: 50) {
  Text("This is VStack")
  Text("It is clickable")
}.contentShape(Rectangle())

Step 3: Use .onTapGesture Modifier

Lastly, by adding the .onTapGesture modifier, we can specify what happens when the VStack is tapped.

VStack(spacing: 50) {
  Text("This is VStack")
  Text("It is clickable")
}.contentShape(Rectangle())
.onTapGesture {
  print("The VStack is clicked!")
}

Now, whenever you tap anywhere within the VStack, it will print “The VStack is clicked!” in the console.

Following is the complete code for reference.

import SwiftUI

struct ContentView: View {
    var body: some View {
        VStack(spacing: 50) {
          Text("This is VStack")
          Text("It is clickable")
        }.contentShape(Rectangle())
        .onTapGesture {
         print("The VStack is clicked!")
        }
    }
}


struct ContentView_Previews: PreviewProvider {
    static var previews: some View {
        ContentView()
    }
}

While VStack itself isn’t inherently clickable, SwiftUI gives us powerful tools such as .contentShape and .onTapGesture to enable user interaction with it. Using these tools, we can make an entire VStack clickable, creating a more interactive user experience.