# AlignmentID A type that you use to create custom alignment guides. ``` protocol AlignmentID ``` ## Overview Every built-in alignment guide that [`VerticalAlignment`](/documentation/SwiftUI/VerticalAlignment) or [`HorizontalAlignment`](/documentation/SwiftUI/HorizontalAlignment) defines as a static property, like [`top`](/documentation/SwiftUI/VerticalAlignment/top) or [`leading`](/documentation/SwiftUI/HorizontalAlignment/leading), has a unique alignment identifier type that produces the default offset for that guide. To create a custom alignment guide, define your own alignment identifier as a type that conforms to the `AlignmentID` protocol, and implement the required [`defaultValue(in:)`](/documentation/SwiftUI/AlignmentID/defaultValue(in:)) method: ``` private struct FirstThirdAlignment: AlignmentID { static func defaultValue(in context: ViewDimensions) -> CGFloat { context.height / 3 } } ``` When implementing the method, calculate the guide’s default offset from the view’s origin. If it’s helpful, you can use information from the [`ViewDimensions`](/documentation/SwiftUI/ViewDimensions) input in the calculation. This parameter provides context about the specific view that’s using the guide. The above example creates an identifier called `FirstThirdAlignment` and calculates a default value that’s one-third of the height of the aligned view. Use the identifier’s type to create a static property in an extension of one of the alignment guide types, like [`VerticalAlignment`](/documentation/SwiftUI/VerticalAlignment): ``` extension VerticalAlignment { static let firstThird = VerticalAlignment(FirstThirdAlignment.self) } ``` You can apply your custom guide like any of the built-in guides. For example, you can use an [`HStack`](/documentation/SwiftUI/HStack) to align its views at one-third of their height using the guide defined above: ``` struct StripesGroup: View { var body: some View { HStack(alignment: .firstThird, spacing: 1) { HorizontalStripes().frame(height: 60) HorizontalStripes().frame(height: 120) HorizontalStripes().frame(height: 90) } } } struct HorizontalStripes: View { var body: some View { VStack(spacing: 1) { ForEach(0..<3) { _ in Color.blue } } } } ``` Because each set of stripes has three equal, vertically stacked rectangles, they align at the bottom edge of the top rectangle. This corresponds in each case to a third of the overall height, as measured from the origin at the top of each set of stripes:  You can also use the [`alignmentGuide(_:computeValue:)`](/documentation/SwiftUI/View/alignmentGuide(_:computeValue:)) view modifier to alter the behavior of your custom guide for a view, as you might alter a built-in guide. For example, you can change one of the stacks of stripes from the previous example to align its `firstThird` guide at two thirds of the height instead: ``` struct StripesGroupModified: View { var body: some View { HStack(alignment: .firstThird, spacing: 1) { HorizontalStripes().frame(height: 60) HorizontalStripes().frame(height: 120) HorizontalStripes().frame(height: 90) .alignmentGuide(.firstThird) { context in 2 * context.height / 3 } } } } ``` The modified guide calculation causes the affected view to place the bottom edge of its middle rectangle on the `firstThird` guide, which aligns with the bottom edge of the top rectangle in the other two groups:  ## Topics ### Getting the default value [`defaultValue(in:)`](/documentation/SwiftUI/AlignmentID/defaultValue(in:)) Calculates a default value for the corresponding guide in the specified context. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)