Objective-C class -> string like: [NSArray className] -> @"NSArray"

objective-c reflection metaprogramming objective-c-runtime
Alex Wayne picture Alex Wayne · Feb 25, 2010 · Viewed 57.4k times · Source

I am trying to get a string name of a class from the class object itself.

// For instance
[NSArray className]; // @"NSArray"

I have found object_getClassName(id obj) but that requires an instance be passed to it, and in my case that is needless work.

So how can I get a string from a class object, and not an instance?

Answer

dreamlax picture dreamlax · Feb 25, 2010 
NSString *name = NSStringFromClass ([NSArray class]);

You can even go back the other way:

Class arrayClass = NSClassFromString (name);
id anInstance = [[arrayClass alloc] init];

Related questions

Create objective-c class instance by name?

Is it possible to create an instance of a class by name? Something like: NSString* className = @"Car"; id* p = [Magic createClassByName:className]; [p turnOnEngine]; I don't know if this is possible in objective-c but seems like it would be,

Read More
Objective-C Introspection/Reflection

Is there a built in method, function, API, commonly accepted way, etc. to dump the contents of an instantiated object in Objective-C, specifically in Apple's Cocoa/Cocoa-Touch environment? I want to be able to do something like MyType *the_thing = [[…

Read More
property type or class using reflection

I was wondering if it's possible to determine the class or primitive type of an Objects properties. Getting all properties names and values is pretty easy. SO answer So is there any way to get the properties class type while …

Read More