Jump To:
Leopard Reference Library
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.
Document Descriptions
On Off
Display

Sorted by
Title
Sort by
Topic
Sort by
Resource Type
Sort by
Date
NSTextBlock Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a block of text laid out in a subregion of a text container.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextContainer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an area where text is laid out.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextField Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a control that displays editable text.
User Experience Reference 2009-01-06
NSTextFieldCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the user interface of a text field.
User Experience Reference 2009-01-06
NSTextInput Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Descibes the formal protocol that text views implement to receive input from the user's keyboard and mouse.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextInputClient Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving keyboard input as properly formed text.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts Reference 2008-10-15
NSTextList Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a section of text that forms a single list.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextStorage Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the text storage system.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextTab Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a tab in a paragraph style.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextTable Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a block of text that represents a table.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-04-11
NSTextTableBlock Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a block of text that appears as a cell within a table.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a view that displays editable text.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-04-27
NSThread Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a thread of execution.
Process Management Reference 2007-12-11
NSTimer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a timer.
Events & Other Input Reference 2008-11-19
NSTimeZone Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a time zone.
Data Management, Internationalization Reference 2008-02-08
NSTokenField Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a text field that provides tokenized editing.
User Experience Reference 2008-10-15
NSTokenFieldCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a cell used in the conversion of entered text into tokens representing objects.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-05
NSToolbar Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a toolbar in a window's title bar.
User Experience Reference 2008-10-15
NSToolbarItem Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a single item in a window's toolbar.
User Experience Reference 2006-06-28
NSToolbarItemGroup Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a group of items in a window's toolbar.
User Experience Reference 2007-04-11
NSToolbarItemValidation Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for providing customized enabling and disabling of a toolbar item.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSToolTipOwner Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving requests for tooltip text.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSTrackingArea Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a view region used for mouse tracking and cursor updating.
Events & Other Input Reference 2007-03-09
NSTreeController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that is used with Cocoa bindings to manage a tree of objects.
Data Management, Design Guidelines Reference 2007-04-10
NSTreeNode Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a tree node in an object model.
Data Management Reference 2006-07-13
NSTypesetter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for typesetter objects that perform text line layout.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-03-26
NSUnarchiver Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that extracts the contents of an archive created by NSArchiver.
Data Management Reference 2006-05-23
NSUndoManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a general-purpose recorder of undo and redo operations.
Data Management Reference 2007-01-18
NSUniqueIDSpecifier Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to specify an object in a container by unique ID.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-05-23
NSURL Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions to support pasteboards.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURL Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a string that uniquely identifies a resource.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2009-02-04
NSURLAuthenticationChallenge Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a challenge from a server requiring authentication from the client.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLAuthenticationChallengeSender Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving authentication challenges.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLCache Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a collection of cached responses and data.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2008-03-11
NSURLClient Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the deprecated class replaced by the classes NSURLConnection and NSURLDownload.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-08-01
NSURLConnection Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides support for retrieving data from a server in response to a URL load request.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2007-04-01
NSURLCredential Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a credential used to authenticate a URL load request.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-06-28
NSURLCredentialStorage Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a mapping of credentials to their corresponding protection spaces.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLDownload Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a connection used to download data to a file.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLHandle Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a deprecated technology replaced by the NSURLDownload class.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2009-02-04
NSURLHandleClient Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a deprecated technology replaced by the NSURLDownload class.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLProtectionSpace Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an area on a server that requires authentication of URL load requests.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLProtocol Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for protocol-specific loading of URL data.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2007-04-01
NSURLProtocolClient Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface used by protocol objects to communicate with the URL loading system.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-05-23
NSURLRequest Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a request for a resource identified by a URL.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2007-04-01
NSURLResponse Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the metadata returned by a server for a load request.
Internet & Web, Networking, Objective-C Language Reference 2007-12-11
NSUserDefaults Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object for managing preference information.
Data Management, User Experience Reference 2009-04-08
NSUserDefaultsController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a Cocoa bindings-compatible manager for user preferences.
Data Management Reference 2006-05-23
NSUserInterfaceValidations Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for participating in automatic enabling and disabling of controls.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSValidatedUserInterfaceItem Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for a control to respond to requests regarding automatic enabling and disabling.
Objective-C Language Reference 2006-08-29
NSValue Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a container for a single C or Objective-C data item.
Data Management Reference 2007-10-31
NSValue Core Animation Additions (HTML) (PDF)
Describes extensions to Foundation's NSValue class that support the Core Animation LKTransform structure.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-07-24
NSValueTransformer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a Cocoa-bindings compatible interface for transforming value representations.
Data Management, Design Guidelines Reference 2007-07-24
NSView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for drawing, event handling, and printing in views.
Events & Other Input, Graphics & Imaging, Printing Reference 2009-02-04
NSView Interface Builder Kit Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions, used by Interface Builder plug-ins, for manipulating views.
Tools Reference 2007-05-10
NSViewAnimation Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an animation in a view or window.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSViewController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the manager of a view, usually a view stored in a nib file.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2007-05-02
NSWhoseSpecifier Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to specify every object in a container that matches a defined condition.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-06-28
NSWindow Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a window.
Events & Other Input, Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2009-03-04
NSWindowController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object for controlling a window that is usually stored in a nib file.
Design Guidelines Reference 2006-05-23
NSWindowScripting Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the category on NSWindow for scripting basic properties and commands of windows in scriptable applications.
Scripting & Automation, User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSWorkspace Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that provides Finder services to an application.
Interapplication Communication Reference 2007-04-27
NSXMLDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for representing XML documents as a logical tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLDTD Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of a Document Type Definition as a tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLDTDNode Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a declaration node for a Document Type Definition.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLElement Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an element node in an XML tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLNode Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a logical node in an XML tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLParser Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object for finding and extracting data in XML documents.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-02
Number and Value Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa object wrappers for primitive C data types.
Data Management Guides 2008-02-08
NumberInput_IMKit_Sample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Illustrates an input method that uses the Mac OS X 10.5 InputMethodKit framework.
Events & Other Input, Internationalization Sample Code 2008-03-17
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 Guides 2008-11-19
Objective-C 1 Runtime Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the data structures and functions of the Objective-C 1.0 runtime support library.
Objective-C Language Reference 2009-01-06
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 Guides 2009-05-06
Objective-C 2.0 Runtime Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C 2.0 runtime support library.
Objective-C Language, Runtime Architecture Guides 2009-02-04
Objective-C 2.0 Runtime Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data structures and functions of the Objective-C runtime support library.
Objective-C Language Reference 2008-11-19
Objective-C Release Notes (HTML)
Updated for Mac OS X v10.5
Objective-C Language Release Notes 2007-10-31
ObjectPath (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use the NSPathControl class.
File Management, User Experience Sample Code 2007-05-22
Observing Process Lifetimes Without Polling (HTML)
TN2050: Shows a variety of methods to observe process lifetimes without polling.
Process Management Technical Notes 2008-09-10
Obtaining the localized application name in Cocoa (HTML)
QA1544: Describes how to obtain several versions of the application name in Cocoa.
Internationalization, Resource Management Technical Q&As 2007-09-21
Online Help (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to add help to a Cocoa application.
User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
OpenALExample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Basic example showing OpenAL usage in a 2D OpenGL environment
Games Sample Code 2005-06-01
OpenGL Filter Basics Cocoa (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
How to use Objective-C and MVC design patterns in installing and utilizing filters in an OpenGL rendering pipeline
Games, Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2008-02-06
OpenGL Release Highlights - Mac OS X 10.3 Panther (HTML)
TN2131: Contains a list of bugs along with a short description on a release-by-release basis
Games, Graphics & Imaging Technical Notes 2005-02-04
OpenGL Screensaver (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to integrate OpenGL drawing into a standard Cocoa screen saver on Mac OS X.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Sample Code 2003-12-10
OpenGLCompositorLab (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates using OpenGL to composite multiple sources in hardware. Requires NVIDIA GeForce 4 Ti hardware.
Graphics & Imaging, QuickTime Sample Code 2003-04-21
Outline View Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa outline views.
User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
Pasteboard Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to transfer data using pasteboard operations in Cocoa.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication, User Experience Guides 2007-07-13
PasteboardPeeker (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Using pasteboards for Copy and Paste, Drag and Drop, service support and filter services.
Interapplication Communication, Text & Fonts Sample Code 2005-08-10
PDEPanel Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to implement custom panes in a printing dialog.
Printing Reference 2007-12-11
PDEPlugIn Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to add custom panes to a printing dialog.
Printing Reference 2007-12-11
PDEPlugInCallbackProtocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to access information about the current print job.
Printing Reference 2007-12-11
PDF Annotation Editor (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use PDF Kit to examine, edit, and create PDF annotations.
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-07-31
PDF Calendar (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use PDF Kit to create PDF content.
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-07-31
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 Guides 2007-12-11
PDF Kit Reference Collection (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C API for viewing, navigating, and editing PDF content.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAction Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for representing an action in a PDF document.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionGoTo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating the destination of a go-to action in a PDF document.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionNamed Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for working with actions that have defined names, such as "Go back."
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionRemoteGoTo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating the destination of a go-to action that targets another PDF document.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionResetForm Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for getting and clearing fields in a PDF form.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-12-11