# Input Receive controller input in the way that best integrates with the flow of your game or game engine. ## Topics ### Essentials [Handling input events](/documentation/GameController/handling-input-events) Receive controller input using either polling or callbacks. [`protocol GCDevicePhysicalInput`](/documentation/GameController/GCDevicePhysicalInput) The common properties and methods for objects that represent the input profile of a device. [`protocol GCDevicePhysicalInputState`](/documentation/GameController/GCDevicePhysicalInputState) The common properties for physical devices with elements. [`protocol GCDevicePhysicalInputStateDiff`](/documentation/GameController/GCDevicePhysicalInputStateDiff) The common functions for objects that contain the differences between a current and previous input state object. ### Elements [`struct GCPhysicalInputElementCollection`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputElementCollection-swift.struct) A collection of physical input elements. [`@interface GCPhysicalInputElementCollection : NSObject`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputElementCollection-c.class) A collection of physical input elements. [`protocol GCPhysicalInputElement`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputElement) The common properties of physical input elements. [`protocol GCButtonElement`](/documentation/GameController/GCButtonElement) The common properties of an element that represents a momentary switch, such as a push button. [`protocol GCAxisElement`](/documentation/GameController/GCAxisElement) The common properties for an element that represents an absolute or relative input value along an axis. [`protocol GCSwitchElement`](/documentation/GameController/GCSwitchElement) The common properties for an element that represents a switch. [`protocol GCDirectionPadElement`](/documentation/GameController/GCDirectionPadElement) The common properties of elements that represent directional pads. ### Element inputs [`protocol GCPhysicalInputSource`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputSource) A protocol for a description of an element without any system-level remapping of the controls. ### Element names [`struct GCPhysicalInputElementName`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputElementName-swift.struct) The name of a physical input element. [`protocol GCPhysicalInputElementTypedName`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputElementTypedName) A type-safe name for accessing elements of a physical input element collection. [`struct GCButtonElementName`](/documentation/GameController/GCButtonElementName-swift.struct) The names of the button elements. [`struct GCAxisElementName`](/documentation/GameController/GCAxisElementName-swift.struct) The names for the elements that provide values along an axis. [`struct GCSwitchElementName`](/documentation/GameController/GCSwitchElementName-swift.struct) The name for an element that represents a switch. [`struct GCDirectionPadElementName`](/documentation/GameController/GCDirectionPadElementName-swift.struct) The names for directional pad elements. [`@protocol GCPhysicalInputElementName`](/documentation/GameController/GCPhysicalInputElementName-c.protocol) The name of a physical input element. [`typedef NSString * const GCInputElementName;`](/documentation/GameController/GCInputElementName) The Objective-C type for an input element name. [`@protocol GCButtonElementName `](/documentation/GameController/GCButtonElementName-c.protocol) The names of the button elements. [`@protocol GCAxisElementName `](/documentation/GameController/GCAxisElementName-c.protocol) The names for the elements that provide values along an axis. [`@protocol GCSwitchElementName `](/documentation/GameController/GCSwitchElementName-c.protocol) The name for an element that represents a switch. [`@protocol GCDirectionPadElementName `](/documentation/GameController/GCDirectionPadElementName-c.protocol) The names for directional pad elements. [Extended gamepad input names](/documentation/GameController/extended-gamepad-input-names) Constants for names of extended gamepad elements. [DualShock controller input names](/documentation/GameController/dualshock-controller-input-names) Constants for names of DualShock 4 elements. [Xbox controller input names](/documentation/GameController/xbox-controller-input-names) Constants for names of Xbox elements. [Micro gamepad input names](/documentation/GameController/micro-gamepad-input-names) Constants for names of micro gamepad elements. [Directional Gamepad Input Names](/documentation/GameController/directional-gamepad-input-names) Constants for names of directional pad elements. --- 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)