Interface Builder

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Interface Builder


Developer:	Apple Inc.
Latest release:	2.5.4 / 2006
OS:	Mac OS X
Use:	software development
License:	Proprietary
Website:	Apple.com

For information on general interface builders, please see User interface builder.

Interface Builder is a software development application for Apple's Mac OS X operating system. It is part of Xcode (formerly Project Builder), the Apple Developer Connection developer's toolset. Interface Builder allows Cocoa and Carbon developers to create interfaces for applications using a graphical user interface. The resulting interface is stored as a .nib file (short for NeXT Interface Builder).

Interface Builder is descended from the NeXTSTEP development software of the same name. A version of Interface Builder is also used in the development of OpenStep software.

[edit] History

Interface Builder first made its appearance in 1988 as part of NeXTSTEP 0.8. It was one of the first commercial applications that allowed interface elements (such as widgets and menus) to be placed in an interface using a mouse.

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[edit] Design

Nib file icon

Interface Builder provides palettes, or collections, of user interface objects to an Objective-C developer. These user interface objects contain items like text fields, data tables, sliders, and pop-up menus. Interface Builder's palettes are completely extensible, meaning any developer can develop new objects and add palettes to Interface Builder.

To build an interface, a developer simply drags interface objects from the palette onto a window or menu. Actions (messages) which the objects can emit are connected to targets in the application's code and outlets (pointers) declared in the application's code are connected to specific objects. In this way all initialization is done before runtime, both improving performance and streamlining the development process.

Interface Builder saves an application's interface as a directory hive that contains the interface objects and relationships used in the application. These objects are marshalled into either an XML file or a NeXT-style property list file with a .nib extension. Upon running an application, the proper NIB objects are unpacked, connected into the binary of their owning application, and awakened. NIBs are often referred to as freeze dried because they contain archived objects ready to run.