There are 4 methods for comparing dates:

Swift

• isEqualToDate(anotherDate: NSDate) -> Bool
• earlierDate(anotherDate: NSDate) -> NSDate
• laterDate(anotherDate: NSDate) -> NSDate
• compare(anotherDate: NSDate) -> NSComparisonResult

Objective-C

• - (BOOL)isEqualToDate:(NSDate *)anotherDate
• - (NSDate *)earlierDate:(NSDate *)anotherDate
• - (NSDate *)laterDate:(NSDate *)anotherDate
• - (NSComparisonResult)compare:(NSDate *)anotherDate

Let’s say we have 2 dates:

Swift

let date1: NSDate = ... // initialized as  July 7, 2016 00:00:00
let date2: NSDate = ... // initialized as  July 2, 2016 00:00:00

Objective-C

NSDate *date1 = ... // initialized as  July 7, 2016 00:00:00
NSDate *date2 = ... // initialized as  July 2, 2016 00:00:00

Then, to compare them, we try this code:

Swift

if date1.isEqualToDate(date2) {
    // returns false, as both dates aren't equal
}

earlierDate: NSDate = date1.earlierDate(date2) // returns the earlier date of the two (date 2)
laterDate: NSDate = date1.laterDate(date2) // returns the later date of the two (date1)

result: NSComparisonResult = date1.compare(date2)

if result == .OrderedAscending {
    // true if date1 is earlier than date2
} else if result == .OrderedSame {
    // true if the dates are the same
} else if result == .OrderedDescending {
    // true if date1 is later than date1
}

Objective-C