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Core Foundation is a framework that provides fundamental software services. Developers can use Core Foundation to build cross-platform applications and can share code and data among frameworks, libraries, and applications. Core Foundation provides abstractions for common data types, facilitates internationalization through Unicode string storage, and offers a suite of utilities.

A guided introduction and learning path for developers new to Core Foundation.   Essential information for developers using the Core Foundation framework.   C API references organized by framework.
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Attributed Strings Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use attributed strings, which manage attributes of character strings or individual characters.
Data Management 2007-06-04
Binary Data Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create and use Core Foundation data objects, object-oriented wrappers for byte buffers.
Data Management 2006-01-10
Collections Programming Topics for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to group objects in arrays, sets, or dictionaries in Core Foundation.
Data Management 2003-08-07
Data Formatting Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Core Foundation formatters to create and validate text in text fields and other cells.
Data Management 2006-12-21
Dates and Times Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to manage Core Foundation dates and times.
Data Management 2005-08-11
Preferences Programming Topics for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to manage Core Foundation user preferences.
Data Management 2006-10-03
Property List Programming Topics for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use structured, textual representations of data in Core Foundation.
Data Management 2006-02-07
Strings Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create, manipulate, and search strings in Core Foundation, and how strings interact with encodings and character sets.
Data Management 2008-03-11
XML Programming Topics for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to parse XML documents into structured objects.
Data Management 2008-10-15
Core Foundation Design Concepts (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the fundamental design concepts that underlie all Core Foundation programming interfaces.
Design Guidelines 2005-08-11
Locales Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use locales to retrieve, interpret, and display localized information in Core Foundation.
Design Guidelines 2008-10-15
Spotlight Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the main components and services of Apple's metadata technology.
Design Guidelines 2007-05-27
Xcode Unit Testing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to incorporate test cases to validate individual units of source code.
Design Guidelines 2008-05-02
File System Events Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how applications can detect changes in the file system.
File Management 2008-03-11
Spotlight Importer Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the role of metadata importers and how to write them.
File Management 2007-05-27
Spotlight Query Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to add Spotlight searching to your applications.
File Management 2006-03-08
Dates and Times Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to manage Core Foundation dates and times.
Internationalization 2005-08-11
Internationalization Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support multiple languages in software.
Internationalization 2009-01-06
Locales Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use locales to retrieve, interpret, and display localized information in Core Foundation.
Internationalization 2008-10-15
Strings Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create, manipulate, and search strings in Core Foundation, and how strings interact with encodings and character sets.
Internationalization 2008-03-11
XML Programming Topics for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to parse XML documents into structured objects.
Internet & Web 2008-10-15
CFNetwork Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Core Foundation networking functions to work with low-level BSD sockets.
Networking 2009-05-06
Identity Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how identities work and how to use them in applications.
Networking 2008-10-15
Code Speed Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for improving the performance and efficiency of code.
Performance 2005-07-07
Debugging Programming Topics for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Tips and techniques for debugging Core Foundation code.
Performance 2003-01-17
File-System Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for improving the performance of file-related code.
Performance 2005-07-07
Launch Time Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for improving the launch performance of an application.
Performance 2006-04-04
Memory Usage Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for improving the performance of memory-related code.
Performance 2006-06-28
Performance Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the factors that determine performance.
Performance 2006-10-03
Threading Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use threads in Cocoa applications.
Performance 2008-02-08
Plug-ins (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the plug-in architecture provided by Core Foundation.
Process Management 2005-03-03
Threading Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use threads in Cocoa applications.
Process Management 2008-02-08
Bundle Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Core Foundation bundle objects to organize resources.
Resource Management 2005-11-09
Memory Management Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to allocate and deallocate objects in Core Foundation.
Resource Management 2008-10-15
Resource Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to work with nib and bundle resources in Mac OS X applications.
Resource Management 2009-01-06
Attributed Strings Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use attributed strings, which manage attributes of character strings or individual characters.
Text & Fonts 2007-06-04
Dictionary Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create a dictionary and access it programmatically.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-30