Gradients

Below is a simple gradient from black to dark gray. You can add many colors to the colors array.

 
let newLayer = CAGradientLayer()
newLayer.colors = [UIColor.black.cgColor, UIColor.darkGray.cgColor]
newLayer.frame = view.frame
view.layers.insertSublayer(newLayer, at: 0)
 

You can manually set the startPoint and endPoint properties for the CAGradientLayer to change the default gradient direction from top to bottom.

These are of a type CGPoint which is basically just and x and y value. BUT, the max value for x or y is only 1.

You have to think of the values as a percentages, like:

•  0 = 0% 
•  .25 = 25% 
•  .5 = 50% 
•  .75 = 75% 
•  1 = 100% 

Here are the default values for top to bottom:

 
newLayer.startPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 0) // Upper left corner

newLayer.endPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 1) // Lower left corner

 

If you wanted to make it HORIZONTAL, then you could start from upper left to upper right.

It would look like this:

 
newLayer.startPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 0) // Upper left corner

newLayer.endPoint = CGPoint(x: 1, y: 0) // Upper right corner

 

Now, can you guess what a 45 degree angle would look like?

It would look like this:

 
newLayer.startPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 0) // Upper left corner

newLayer.endPoint = CGPoint(x: 1, y: 1) // Lower right corner

 

Here's a diagram which might clear up how these CGPoints work:

CGPoint X,Y Scale in iOS

(Swift 3)