iOS difference between isKindOfClass and isMemberOfClass

ios objective-c swift class inheritance
NoodleOfDeath picture NoodleOfDeath · Sep 6, 2010 · Viewed 39.9k times · Source

What is the difference between the isKindOfClass:(Class)aClass and the isMemberOfClass:(Class)aClass functions? I know it is something small like, one is global while the other is an exact class match but I need someone to specify which is which please.

In Swift isKind(of aClass: AnyClass) and isMember(of aClass: AnyClass).

Answer

Sebastian Celis picture Sebastian Celis · Sep 6, 2010

isKindOfClass: returns YES if the receiver is an instance of the specified class or an instance of any class that inherits from the specified class.

isMemberOfClass: returns YES if, and only if, the receiver is an instance of the specified class.

Most of the time you want to use isKindOfClass: to ensure that your code also works with subclasses.

The NSObject Protocol Reference talks a little more about these methods.

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