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# init()

Initializes and returns an empty document object.

```
init()
```

## Return Value

An initialized `NSDocument` object.

## Discussion

This initializer (the designated initializer) is invoked by each of the other `NSDocument` initialization methods.

You can override this method to perform initialization that must be done both when creating new empty documents and when opening existing documents. Your override must invoke `super` to initialize private `NSDocument` instance variables. It must never return `nil`. If an error can occur during object initialization, check for the error in an override of [`init(type:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDocument/init(type:)), [`init(contentsOf:ofType:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDocument/init(contentsOf:ofType:)), or [`init(for:withContentsOf:ofType:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDocument/init(for:withContentsOf:ofType:)), because those methods can return `NSError` objects.

## See Also

[Developing a Document-Based App](/documentation/AppKit/developing-a-document-based-app)

Write an app that creates, manages, edits, and saves text documents.


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