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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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Binary Data Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create and use Cocoa data objects, object-oriented wrappers for byte buffers.
Data Management 2009-05-06
CFNetwork Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Core Foundation networking functions to work with low-level BSD sockets.
Networking, Security 2009-05-06
Image Unit Tutorial (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to write image processing kernels and package them for distribution.
Graphics & Imaging 2009-05-06
Key-Value Observing Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the Cocoa key-value observing protocol.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-05-06
Memory Management Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to allocate and deallocate objects in Cocoa.
Design Guidelines, Objective-C Language 2009-05-06
The Objective-C 2.0 Programming Language (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces object-oriented programming and describes the main programming language used for Cocoa development.
Objective-C Language, Tools 2009-05-06
Predicate Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to specify queries in Cocoa.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-05-06
Stream Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the Cocoa stream classes to read data from and write data to streams.
Data Management, Networking 2009-05-06
Text System Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system works. Includes a tutorial.
Text & Fonts 2009-04-08
Keychain Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
This document explains how to use Keychain Services to store and retrieve passwords.
Security 2009-03-12
Cocoa Bindings Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to rapidly develop sophisticated user interfaces using Cocoa binding technology.
Design Guidelines, User Experience 2009-03-08
Low-Level File Management Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the low-level ways Cocoa applications can interact with files.
File Management 2009-03-05
Color Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how applications specify colors and how users choose colors in Cocoa.
Graphics & Imaging 2009-03-04
Core Data Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to manage objects using the Core Data framework.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-03-04
Core Data Snippets (HTML) (PDF)
Snippets of code that you can use when writing a program that uses Core Data.
Data Management 2009-03-04
Core Data Utility Tutorial (HTML) (PDF)
A hands-on guide to creating a command-line utility using low-level features of Core Data.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-03-04
Dock Tile Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to provide an icon and contextual menu in Carbon applications.
User Experience 2009-03-04
Error Handling Programming Guide For Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Describes NSError objects, related Application Kit support for error handling, and how to use these features in your code.
Design Guidelines, Objective-C Language 2009-03-04
64-Bit Transition Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to port Cocoa projects to 64-bit addressing.
Design Guidelines 2009-03-03
Archives and Serializations Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to put Cocoa objects into and remove them from a representation suitable for archiving.
Data Management 2009-02-04
Cocoa Event-Handling Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces event mechanisms and the types of events in Cocoa and describes how to handle events of each type.
Events & Other Input 2009-02-04
Collections Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to group objects in arrays, sets, or dictionaries in Cocoa.
Data Management 2009-02-04
Dashboard Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains Dashboard and WebKit technologies used in widgets.
Apple Applications 2009-02-04
Dialogs and Special Panels (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create alert panels. Includes links to documents about other types of panels.
User Experience 2009-02-04
Key-Value Coding Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information about how to access a Cocoa object's values using keys.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-02-04
Mac OS X ABI Function Call Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the function-calling conventions used in the architectures supported by Mac OS X.
Intel-Based Macs 2009-02-04
NSPersistentDocument Core Data Tutorial (HTML) (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for building a simple but functionally rich application using NSPersistentDocument and Cocoa bindings.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-02-04
NSPersistentDocument Core Data Tutorial for Mac OS X v10.4. (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Step-by-step instructions for building a simple but functionally rich application using NSPersistentDocument and Cocoa bindings.
Data Management, Design Guidelines 2009-02-04
Objective-C 2.0 Runtime Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C 2.0 runtime support library.
Objective-C Language, Runtime Architecture 2009-02-04
Toolbar Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa toolbars.
User Experience 2009-02-04
Tree-Based XML Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the NSXML classes of Cocoa to process, modify, and query XML data.
Data Management, Internet & Web 2009-02-04
Universal Binary Programming Guidelines, Second Edition (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information and tips for writing code that runs on PowerPC-based and Intel-based Macintosh computers.
Intel-Based Macs, Porting 2009-02-04
Window Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa windows and panels.
User Experience 2009-02-04
Xcode Design Tools for Class Modeling (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Xcode Design Tools for Class Modeling.
Design Guidelines, Tools 2009-02-04
Document-Based Applications Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to design and implement Cocoa applications that manage multiple documents.
Design Guidelines 2009-01-12
Authorization Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to add fine-grained control of privileged operations in an application.
Security 2009-01-06
Cocoa Drawing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa to draw your application's user interface.
Graphics & Imaging 2009-01-06
Internationalization Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support multiple languages in software.
Internationalization 2009-01-06
Resource Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to work with nib and bundle resources in Mac OS X applications.
Resource Management 2009-01-06
Web Services Core Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the new Web Services client-side frameworks available in Mac OS X.
Internet & Web, Networking 2009-01-06
Xcode Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Xcode IDE and its major components, and provides and overview of the development process.
Tools 2009-01-06
Xcode Project Management Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Provides practical descriptions of the major development tasks developers perform with Xcode.
Tools 2009-01-06
Xcode Workspace Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Provides an overview of the Xcode workspace, and shows how to use its components and features.
Tools 2009-01-06
Certificate, Key, and Trust Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Shows how to evaluate trust for a certificate and recover from a trust failure.
Security 2008-11-19
Cocoa Fundamentals Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the basic concepts, terminology, architectures, and design patterns of the Cocoa frameworks and development environment.
Design Guidelines 2008-11-19
Code Signing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how you can sign your code and why you should.
Security 2008-11-19
Garbage Collection Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the garbage collection system for Cocoa.
Design Guidelines, Objective-C Language, Performance, Runtime Architecture 2008-11-19
Interface Builder User Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information and tasks explaining how to use the Interface Builder application to design user interfaces.
Tools 2008-11-19
Object-Oriented Programming with Objective-C (HTML) (PDF)
Describes object-oriented programming from the perspective of an Objective-C developer.
Design Guidelines, Objective-C Language 2008-11-19
Property List Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use structured, textual representations of data in Cocoa.
Data Management 2008-11-19
Timer Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use timers for scheduling automatic, repeating message invocations in Cocoa.
Events & Other Input 2008-11-19
Core Animation Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the main components and services of Core Animation.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-11-13
Animation Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the animation facilities provided by Mac OS X.
Games, Graphics & Imaging 2008-10-15
Button Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa buttons.
User Experience 2008-10-15
Control and Cell Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the relationship between Cocoa control and cell objects.
User Experience 2008-10-15
Data Formatting Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa formatters to create and validate text in text fields and other cells.
Data Management 2008-10-15
Mac OS X Technology Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces Mac OS X and its technologies.
Accessibility 2008-10-15
NSNetServices and CFNetServices Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to implement Bonjour in Cocoa or Carbon applications.
Networking 2008-10-15
Quartz Composer Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to used the framework to load, play, and control compositions.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-10-15
Security Overview (HTML) (PDF)
An introduction to computer security concepts and the security APIs in Mac OS X and iPhone OS.
Security 2008-10-15
String Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create, search, concatenate, and draw strings in Cocoa.
Data Management, Text & Fonts 2008-10-15
Text Layout Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system lays out text on pages.
Text & Fonts 2008-10-15
WebKit DOM Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to use JavaScript in web content and WebKit-based applications.
Internet & Web 2008-10-15
WebKit Objective-C Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the WebKit to embed web content in both Cocoa and Carbon applications.
Graphics & Imaging, Internet & Web, User Experience 2008-10-15
WebKit Plug-In Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to develop and deploy browser plug-ins based on the WebKit architecture.
Internet & Web 2008-10-15
Xcode Quick Tour for Mac OS X (HTML) (PDF)
Provides a hands-on introduction to Xcode, Apple's comprehensive suite of software development tools for Mac OS X.
Tools 2008-10-15
Event-Driven XML Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to process XML documents using the Cocoa streaming parser.
Data Management 2008-09-09
File System Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information and guidelines describing the structure and usage of the Mac OS X file system.
File Management 2008-07-11
Runtime Configuration Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual and reference information for dynamically configuring your software.
Design Guidelines 2008-07-08
Debugging with GDB (HTML)
Open-source document that explains how to use GDB to debug programs.
Tools 2008-06-19
Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the Mac OS X user experience and explains how to design an application for Aqua.
Accessibility, Design Guidelines, User Experience 2008-06-09
Core Image Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Provides an overview and explains how to use and create image filters and image units.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-06-09
Image Kit Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support browsing, viewing, editing, and processing images.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-06-09
Secure Coding Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes techniques to use and factors to consider to make your code more secure from attack.
Security 2008-05-23
URL Loading System (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to manipulate URLs and transfer URL contents.
Internet & Web, Networking 2008-05-06
Xcode Unit Testing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to incorporate test cases to validate individual units of source code.
Design Guidelines 2008-05-02
Xcode Tools for Core Data (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Xcode modeling tools for Core Data.
Data Management, Tools 2008-04-15
View Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to design and implement Cocoa views in applications.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-04-10
Animation Types and Timing Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the animation and timing classes used by both Core Animation and Cocoa Animation proxies.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-04-08
Uniform Type Identifiers Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Describes uniform type identifiers and how to use them.
File Management, Interapplication Communication 2008-04-08
Accessibility Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the accessibility features built into Mac OS X.
Accessibility 2008-03-11
AppleScript Language Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Defines the AppleScript scripting language. Includes many brief sample scripts.
Scripting & Automation 2008-03-11
Cocoa Scripting Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create scriptable Cocoa applications that use the scripting definition (sdef) format.
Design Guidelines, Scripting & Automation 2008-03-11
Core Animation Cookbook (HTML) (PDF)
Demonstrates common Core Animation tasks.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-03-11
Cursor Management (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to set the cursor and handle cursor-update events in Cocoa applications.
Events & Other Input, User Experience 2008-03-11
Scripting Bridge Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Scripting Bridge technology, which bridges OSA-compliant applications to Objective-C, and explains how to use it in Cocoa programs.
Scripting & Automation 2008-03-11
Atomic Store Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to use the Core Data atomic store API to create persistent stores that use a custom format.
Data Management 2008-02-08
Core Data Model Versioning and Data Migration Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the managed object model versioning and data migration features of Core Data.
Data Management 2008-02-08
Font Handling (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the Cocoa font management system and how users select fonts.
Text & Fonts 2008-02-08
Model Object Implementation Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes issues relating to the design and implementation of model objects
Design Guidelines 2008-02-08
Number and Value Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa object wrappers for primitive C data types.
Data Management 2008-02-08
Quick Look Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the purporse and architecture of Quick Look generators and explains how to create them.
User Experience 2008-02-08
Search Fields (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa search fields.
User Experience 2008-02-08
Text Editing Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to control the behavior of the Cocoa text system as it performs text editing.
Text & Fonts 2008-02-08
Threading Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use threads in Cocoa applications.
Performance, Process Management 2008-02-08
Automator Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the concepts and tasks for developing actions, which are bundles loaded by the Automator application.
Apple Applications, Tools 2007-12-11
PDF Kit Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces basic PDF concepts and describes how to use PDF Kit to display PDF documents in your application.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
Quartz Composer Custom Patch Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to create custom patches for distribution.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-12-11
Token Field Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to set up and programatically manage a token field.
User Experience 2007-12-11
Apple Help Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to author, package, and display user help content in Mac OS X.
Apple Applications, User Experience 2007-10-31