Foundation Kit
Encyclopedia
The Foundation Kit, or just Foundation for short, is an Objective-C
framework
in the OpenStep
specification. It provides basic classes such as wrapper classes and data structure classes. This framework uses the prefix NS (for NeXTSTEP
).
hierarchies. This class provides standard methods working with objects, such as Memory management
and querying objects.
manipulation in OpenStep environments, representing a Unicode
string. Though this class is immutable, there is a NSMutableString class in Foundation Kit.
, and NSNumber is a wrapper class for C
number data types, such as int, double, and float. The Data structure
s in Foundation Kit can only hold objects, not primitive types, so wrappers such as NSValue and NSNumber are used in those data structures.
API. This was originally built by NeXT
developers after Apple bought NeXT
. Beginning as the successor to OPENSTEP/Mach, this framework has deviated from OpenStep
compliance, and is in some places incompatible.
API. This framework is based on the Mac OS X Foundation, not OpenStep.
's Base Package. This implementation is mostly comparable (4 classes are missing) and aims to be comparable with both the OpenStep
API and latter Mac OS X
additions.
, just like in Cocoa, rather than create a separate Foundation from scratch like GNUstep and Cocotron.
Objective-C
Objective-C is a reflective, object-oriented programming language that adds Smalltalk-style messaging to the C programming language.Today, it is used primarily on Apple's Mac OS X and iOS: two environments derived from the OpenStep standard, though not compliant with it...
framework
Software framework
In computer programming, a software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by user code, thus providing application specific software...
in the OpenStep
OpenStep
OpenStep was an object-oriented application programming interface specification for an object-oriented operating system that used a non-NeXTSTEP operating system as its core, principally developed by NeXT with Sun Microsystems. OPENSTEP was a specific implementation of the OpenStep API developed...
specification. It provides basic classes such as wrapper classes and data structure classes. This framework uses the prefix NS (for NeXTSTEP
NEXTSTEP
NeXTSTEP was the object-oriented, multitasking operating system developed by NeXT Computer to run on its range of proprietary workstation computers, such as the NeXTcube...
).
NSObject
The most common base class for Objective-CObjective-C
Objective-C is a reflective, object-oriented programming language that adds Smalltalk-style messaging to the C programming language.Today, it is used primarily on Apple's Mac OS X and iOS: two environments derived from the OpenStep standard, though not compliant with it...
hierarchies. This class provides standard methods working with objects, such as Memory management
Memory management
Memory management is the act of managing computer memory. The essential requirement of memory management is to provide ways to dynamically allocate portions of memory to programs at their request, and freeing it for reuse when no longer needed. This is critical to the computer system.Several...
and querying objects.
NSString
This class is used for stringString (computer science)
In formal languages, which are used in mathematical logic and theoretical computer science, a string is a finite sequence of symbols that are chosen from a set or alphabet....
manipulation in OpenStep environments, representing a Unicode
Unicode
Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
string. Though this class is immutable, there is a NSMutableString class in Foundation Kit.
NSValue and NSNumber
NSValue is a wrapper class of C data typesC variable types and declarations
In the C programming language, data types refers to an extensive system for declaring variables of different types. The language itself provides basic arithmetic types and syntax to build array and compound types...
, and NSNumber is a wrapper class for C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
number data types, such as int, double, and float. The Data structure
Data structure
In computer science, a data structure is a particular way of storing and organizing data in a computer so that it can be used efficiently.Different kinds of data structures are suited to different kinds of applications, and some are highly specialized to specific tasks...
s in Foundation Kit can only hold objects, not primitive types, so wrappers such as NSValue and NSNumber are used in those data structures.
Mac OS X
The Foundation Kit is part of the CocoaCocoa (API)
Cocoa is Apple's native object-oriented application programming interface for the Mac OS X operating system and—along with the Cocoa Touch extension for gesture recognition and animation—for applications for the iOS operating system, used on Apple devices such as the iPhone, the iPod Touch, and...
API. This was originally built by NeXT
NeXT
Next, Inc. was an American computer company headquartered in Redwood City, California, that developed and manufactured a series of computer workstations intended for the higher education and business markets...
developers after Apple bought NeXT
NeXT
Next, Inc. was an American computer company headquartered in Redwood City, California, that developed and manufactured a series of computer workstations intended for the higher education and business markets...
. Beginning as the successor to OPENSTEP/Mach, this framework has deviated from OpenStep
OpenStep
OpenStep was an object-oriented application programming interface specification for an object-oriented operating system that used a non-NeXTSTEP operating system as its core, principally developed by NeXT with Sun Microsystems. OPENSTEP was a specific implementation of the OpenStep API developed...
compliance, and is in some places incompatible.
iOS
The Foundation Kit is in the Cocoa TouchCocoa Touch
Cocoa Touch is an API for building software programs to run on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad from Apple Inc.Cocoa Touch provides an abstraction layer of iOS, the operating system for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Cocoa Touch is based on the Mac OS X Cocoa API toolset and, like it, is...
API. This framework is based on the Mac OS X Foundation, not OpenStep.
GNUstep
The Foundation Kit is implemented in GNUstepGNUstep
GNUstep is a free software implementation of Cocoa Objective-C libraries , widget toolkit, and application development tools not only for Unix-like operating systems, but also for Microsoft Windows. It is part of the GNU Project.GNUstep features a cross-platform, object-oriented development...
's Base Package. This implementation is mostly comparable (4 classes are missing) and aims to be comparable with both the OpenStep
OpenStep
OpenStep was an object-oriented application programming interface specification for an object-oriented operating system that used a non-NeXTSTEP operating system as its core, principally developed by NeXT with Sun Microsystems. OPENSTEP was a specific implementation of the OpenStep API developed...
API and latter Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
additions.
Cocotron
The Foundation Kit is implemented in Cocotron, an open-source implementation of Cocoa.PureFoundation
PureFoundation is an open-source implementation of Foundation that implements Foundation by wrapping Core FoundationCore Foundation
Core Foundation is a C application programming interface in Mac OS X & iOS, and is a mix of low-level routines and wrapper functions...
, just like in Cocoa, rather than create a separate Foundation from scratch like GNUstep and Cocotron.