How to adjust height of UICollectionView to be the height of the content size of the UICollectionView?

I would suggest the following:

1. Add a height constraint to your collection view.
2. Set its priority to 999.
3. Set its constant to any value that makes it reasonably visible on the storyboard.
4. Change the bottom equal constraint of the collection view to greater or equal.
5. Connect the height constraint to an outlet.
6. Every time you reload the data on the collection view do the following:

You may also want to consider the Inset of the collection view by adding it to the content size.

Code Sample:

CGFloat height = myCollectionView.collectionViewLayout.collectionViewContentSize.height
heightConstraint.constant = height
self.view.setNeedsLayout() Or self.view.layoutIfNeeded()

Explanation: Extra, You don't have to read if you understand it. obviously!!

The UI will try to reflect all the constraints no matter what are their priorities. Since the height constraint has lower priority of (999), and a bottom constraint of type greater or equal. whenever, the height constraint constant is set to a value less than the parent view height the collection view will be equal to the given height, achieving both constraints.

But, when the height constraint constant set to a value more than the parent view height both constraints can't be achieved. Therefore, only the constraint with the higher priority will be achieved which is the greater or equal bottom constraint.

The following is just a guess from an experience. So, it achieves one constrant. But, it also tries to make the error in the resulted UI for the other un-achieved lower priority constraint as lowest as possible. Therefore, the collection view height will be equal to the parent view size.

1) Set Fix Height of your CollectionView.

2) Create Outlet of this CollectionView Height Constant. Like :

IBOutlet NSLayoutConstraint *constHeight;

3) Add below method in your .m file:

- (void)viewDidLayoutSubviews {
    [super viewDidLayoutSubviews];

    CGFloat height = collectionMenu.collectionViewLayout.collectionViewContentSize.height;
    constHeight.constant = height;
}

I ended up, by subclassing the UICollectionView and overriding some methods as follows.

• Returning self.collectionViewLayout.collectionViewContentSize for intrinsicContentSize makes sure, to always have the correct size
• Then just call it whenever it might change (like on reloadData)

Code:

override func reloadData() {
    super.reloadData()
    self.invalidateIntrinsicContentSize()
}

override var intrinsicContentSize: CGSize {
    return self.collectionViewLayout.collectionViewContentSize
}

But be aware, that you lose "cell re-using", if you display large sets of data, eventhough they don't fit on the screen.