popToRootController

popToRootController is a method found in Apple's UIKit framework, specifically within the UINavigationController class. Its primary function is to dismiss view controllers from the navigation stack until only the root view controller remains. When this method is called, the navigation controller will animate the removal of all view controllers that are currently on top of the root view controller, effectively resetting the navigation stack to its initial state.

This operation is commonly used when a user needs to navigate back to the very beginning of a flow, such as after completing a series of steps or when returning to a main menu from a deep navigation path. For instance, after a user has completed a multi-step registration process, calling popToRootController on the navigation controller would take them directly back to the initial registration screen or a main dashboard, bypassing any intermediate screens.

The method returns an array of the view controllers that were popped from the stack. If the navigation controller's stack only contains the root view controller, calling popToRootController will have no effect and an empty array will be returned. This provides a straightforward way to manage and reset complex navigation hierarchies within iOS applications.