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# SKCropNode

A node that masks pixels drawn by its children so that only some pixels are seen.

```
class SKCropNode
```

## Overview

`SKCropNode` is a container node that you use to crop other nodes in the scene. You add other nodes to a crop node and set the crop node’s [`maskNode`](/documentation/SpriteKit/SKCropNode/maskNode) property. For example, here are some ways you might specify a mask:

- An untextured sprite that limits content to a rectangular portion of the scene.
- A textured sprite that works as a precise per-pixel mask.
- A collection of child nodes that form a unique shape.

You can animate the shape or contents of the mask to implement interesting effects such as hiding or revealing.

> Tip:
> Use crop nodes sparingly. Because they require an additional offscreen memory buffer to perform the crop and add a rendering operation into the offscreen buffer, they add notably more overhead to the app.

## Topics

### First Steps

Crop other nodes in the scene by adding them as child nodes to a crop node.

[Cropping Nodes](/documentation/SpriteKit/cropping-nodes)

Use a texture or a shape to mask pixels out of a crop node’s children.

### Setting the Mask Filter

[`maskNode`](/documentation/SpriteKit/SKCropNode/maskNode)

The node used to determine the crop node’s mask.

## Relationships

### Conforms To

[`SendableMetatype`](/documentation/Swift/SendableMetatype)

[`NSCopying`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCopying)

[`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable)

[`UIFocusItemContainer`](/documentation/UIKit/UIFocusItemContainer)

[`UIUserActivityRestoring`](/documentation/UIKit/UIUserActivityRestoring)

[`NSCoding`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCoding)

[`NSUserActivityRestoring`](/documentation/AppKit/NSUserActivityRestoring)

[`Sendable`](/documentation/Swift/Sendable)

[`NSSecureCoding`](/documentation/Foundation/NSSecureCoding)

[`UIPasteConfigurationSupporting`](/documentation/UIKit/UIPasteConfigurationSupporting)

[`UIFocusItem`](/documentation/UIKit/UIFocusItem)

[`CVarArg`](/documentation/Swift/CVarArg)

[`NSTouchBarProvider`](/documentation/AppKit/NSTouchBarProvider)

[`UIResponderStandardEditActions`](/documentation/UIKit/UIResponderStandardEditActions)

[`UIFocusEnvironment`](/documentation/UIKit/UIFocusEnvironment)

[`UICoordinateSpace`](/documentation/UIKit/UICoordinateSpace)

[`NSStandardKeyBindingResponding`](/documentation/AppKit/NSStandardKeyBindingResponding)

[`Hashable`](/documentation/Swift/Hashable)

[`CustomStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomStringConvertible)

[`CustomDebugStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomDebugStringConvertible)

[`UIActivityItemsConfigurationProviding`](/documentation/UIKit/UIActivityItemsConfigurationProviding)

[`NSObjectProtocol`](/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObjectProtocol)

### Inherits From

[`SKNode`](/documentation/SpriteKit/SKNode)

---

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