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Cocoa is an object-oriented application environment designed for developing Mac OS X native applications. The Cocoa frameworks support rapid development and high productivity. Cocoa provides developers starting new Mac OS X projects the fastest way to full-featured implementations. Applications from other platforms can also be brought to Mac OS X quickly using Cocoa.

A guided introduction and learning path for developers new to Cocoa.   Essential information for developers using Objective-C.   Objective-C API references organized by framework.
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CAMediaTimingFunction Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that encapsulates the pacing of an animation as a timing curve.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-07-11
Foundation Functions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the functions defined in the Foundation framework.
Data Management 2008-07-11
NSExpression Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to represent expressions in a predicate.
Data Management 2008-07-11
NSNotificationCenter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to synchronously broadcast notifications within a task.
Events & Other Input 2008-07-11
NSPanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that implements a lightweight, easy-access window.
Events & Other Input, Graphics & Imaging, User Experience 2008-07-11
NSSavePanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to present a dialog that allows users to browse the file system before saving files.
Events & Other Input, File Management, User Experience 2008-07-11
Web Kit Constants Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the types and constants found in the Web Kit framework.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebBackForwardList Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for tracking a list of visited pages with relation to the most recent page.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebFrame Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for encapsulating the data displayed within a WebFrameView object.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebFrameLoadDelegate Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol adopted by WebView frame load delegates to be notified while frame loads are in progress.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebFrameView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for displaying the actual web content contained in a frame.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebPreferences Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for the preferences you can change per WebView object, such as font, text encoding, and image settings.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebResourceLoadDelegate Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used to be notified on the progress of loading individual resources.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebScripting Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol that defines methods that classes can implement to expose their interfaces to a WebScript environment.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebScriptObject Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for bridging a web view's scripting environment and the Objective-C runtime.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebUIDelegate Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used to control user interface-related aspects, such as opening windows and augmenting default menus.
User Experience 2008-06-19
WebView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for embedding web content in a window.
User Experience 2008-06-19
Core Image Kernel Language Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the symbols for writing image-processing kernels.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-06-09
NSArray Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to manage an immutable ordered collection of objects.
Data Management 2008-06-09
NSCalendar Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to define and operate on the divisions of a year.
Data Management, Internationalization 2008-06-09
NSDate Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to define and operate on specific and relative time values.
Data Management 2008-06-09
NSDatePicker Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides a control for displaying and editing a date.
User Experience 2008-06-09
NSDatePickerCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides a cell for displaying and editing a date.
User Experience 2008-06-09
NSGarbageCollector Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Cocoa class used to interact with the garbage collection system.
Objective-C Language 2008-06-09
NSObject Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the root class of most Objective-C class hierarchies, including methods for object creation, life-cycle management, and intropsection.
Design Guidelines, Objective-C Language 2008-06-09
NSOpenGLContext Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing the OpenGL drawing environment.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-06-09
NSPropertyListSerialization Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to convert property list objects to and from several serialized formats.
Data Management 2008-06-09
NSDictionaryController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used with Cocoa bindings to manage a dictionary of objects.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2008-06-05
NSDictionaryControllerKeyValuePair Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used by the Cocoa bindings NSDictionaryController class.
Data Management 2008-06-05
NSText Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that declares the most general programmatic interface for objects that manage text.
Text & Fonts 2008-05-06
NSCalendarDate Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to define dates and perform date computations based on the Gregorian calendar.
Data Management 2008-05-04
CARenderer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that allows Core Animation rendering to a CGContext.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-04-30
Disc Recording Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C and C API for burning audio and data CDs and DVDs.
Audio, File Management 2008-04-08
Disc Recording UI Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C and C API for presenting a user interface when burning audio and data CDs and DVDs.
Audio, File Management, User Experience 2008-04-08
IKImageView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to display images efficiently at the same time it supports image editing.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-04-08
Message Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C API for sending email messages through the Mail application.
Apple Applications 2008-04-08
Publication Subscription Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Cocoa framework for publishing and subscribing to RSS and Atom feeds.
Internet & Web 2008-04-08
QCCompositionRenderer Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the methods for passing and retrieving data from the ports of a composition.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-04-08
QCPlugIn Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to write custom patches for Quartz Composer.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-04-08
CAAnimationGroup Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that groups multiple animations into a single animation.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-03-11
CAOpenGLLayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides a context for rendering OpenGL in a layer.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-03-11
Foundation Data Types Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data types defined in the Foundation framework not described in individual classes.
Data Management, Objective-C Language 2008-03-11
NSDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the abstract class that defines the interface for documents, objects that manage data displayed in windows.
Design Guidelines 2008-03-11
NSDocumentController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to manage an application's documents.
Design Guidelines 2008-03-11
NSFontDescriptor Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides a mechanism to describe a font with a dictionary of attributes.
Objective-C Language 2008-03-11
NSMethodSignature Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class whose instances record type information for the arguments and return value of a method.
Objective-C Language 2008-03-11
NSPersistentStoreCoordinator Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to mediate between persistent stores and managed object contexts in a Core Data application.
Data Management 2008-03-11
NSPrintInfo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing print job information.
Printing 2008-03-11
NSProgressIndicator Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to display a progress indicator that shows that a lengthy task is under way.
User Experience 2008-03-11
NSSearchFieldCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing search-field cells.
User Experience 2008-03-11
NSSet Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing an immutable set of objects; a set is an unordered collection of distinct elements.
Data Management 2008-03-11
NSString Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to define and operate on immutable strings.
Data Management 2008-03-11
NSURLCache Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that manages cached responses and data from URL load requests.
Internet & Web, Networking 2008-03-11
NSView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that defines the basic drawing, event-handling, and printing architecture of an application.
Events & Other Input, Graphics & Imaging, Printing 2008-03-11
CALayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that defines the basic drawing, timespace, and animation management for Core Animation.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-03-10
Application Kit Functions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes C functions that provide supporting functionality for the classes and protocols in the Application Kit framework.
Objective-C Language 2008-02-08
NSAnimationContext Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides nested transaction support for animating views.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-02-08
NSAutoreleasePool Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to instantiate pools of objects to be automatically released.
Objective-C Language, Performance 2008-02-08
NSConnection Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing proxy connections when using distributed objects.
Interapplication Communication 2008-02-08
NSCursor Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to manage the appearance of the cursor.
User Experience 2008-02-08
NSData Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to provide an immutable object-oriented wrapper for a byte buffer.
Data Management 2008-02-08
NSDictionary Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing associations of keys and values.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2008-02-08
NSEntityDescription Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to specify entities in a Core Data managed object model.
Objective-C Language 2008-02-08
NSFetchRequest Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to describe search criteria used to retrieve data from a persistent store in Core Data.
Data Management 2008-02-08
NSLocale Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to encapsulate information about linguistic, cultural, and technological conventions and standards.
Internationalization, User Experience 2008-02-08
NSLock Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing mutex-based locks.
Process Management 2008-02-08
NSMenu Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing an application's menus.
User Experience 2008-02-08
NSMenuItem Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for creating and managing command items in menus.
User Experience 2008-02-08
NSNetService Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to publish or consume a network service using multicast DNS.
Interapplication Communication, Internet & Web, Networking 2008-02-08
NSNumber Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class whose instances encapsulate C scalar values of types such as int, unsigned int, long, double, and Boolean.
Data Management 2008-02-08
NSPasteboard Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to support pasteboard operations.
Interapplication Communication 2008-02-08
NSPersistentDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to to define and operate on a document that integrates into the Core Data framework.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2008-02-08
NSRuleEditor Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to present and manage a graphical rule editor.
User Experience 2008-02-08
NSRunLoop Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class whose instances manage input sources.
Events & Other Input, Performance 2008-02-08
NSTimeZone Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the abstract class used to define the behavior of time zone objects.
Data Management, Internationalization 2008-02-08
Web Kit DOM Reference (HTML)
Describes the API for accessing the Web Kit's Document Object Model.
Internet & Web 2008-01-15
CAConstraintLayoutManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides constraint-based relative layout to a layer's sublayers.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
CATextLayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that simplifies rendering text in a layer.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
CIFilter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that processes image data and produces a Core Image image as output.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
NSAccessibility Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol that Cocoa classes must implement to make themselves available to an external assistive application.
Accessibility 2007-12-11
NSButtonCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that implements the functionality of a button.
Events & Other Input, User Experience 2007-12-11
NSCollectionView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used for creating groups of views from a prototype view.
User Experience 2007-12-11
NSFileManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to perform generic file-system operations.
File Management, Resource Management 2007-12-11
NSObjectController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that is used with Cocoa bindings to access and modify model values.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2007-12-11
NSThread Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for spawning secondary threads of execution.
Process Management 2007-12-11
NSURLResponse Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that encapsulates the response from a server to a URL load request.
Internet & Web, Networking, Objective-C Language 2007-12-11
NSUserDefaults Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing preference information.
Data Management, User Experience 2007-12-11
Objective-C 2.0 Runtime Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data structures and functions of the Objective-C runtime support library.
Objective-C Language 2007-12-11
PDEPanel Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to implement custom panes in a printing dialog.
Printing 2007-12-11
PDEPlugIn Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to add custom panes to a printing dialog.
Printing 2007-12-11
PDEPlugInCallbackProtocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to access information about the current print job.
Printing 2007-12-11
PDF Kit Reference Collection (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C API for viewing, navigating, and editing PDF content.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFAction Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for representing an action in a PDF document.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFActionGoTo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating the destination of a go-to action in a PDF document.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFActionNamed Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for working with actions that have defined names, such as "Go back."
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFActionRemoteGoTo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating the destination of a go-to action that targets another PDF document.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFActionResetForm Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for getting and clearing fields in a PDF form.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFActionURL Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing the URL associated with a URL action.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotation Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describe the class for creating and managing annotations in PDF documents.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationButtonWidget Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating button annotations in PDF documents.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11