The Howdy Glossary

Objective-C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language utilized by Apple for iOS and macOS application development. Created in the 1980s by Brad Cox and Tom Love, it merges principles from Smalltalk and C, offering a unique blend of messaging style with flow control constructs. Known for dynamic application-building capabilities through features like run-time type checking, reflection, and categories enabling method addition to existing classes without subclassing, Objective-C significantly impacted modern programming languages via its runtime API supporting dynamic typing.

Despite facing competition from various programming languages such as Swift—which emerged as Apple's preferred language due to its modern features, improved performance, and enhanced safety—Objective-C remains influential. Other competitors include Java and Kotlin for Android app development along with C++ and C# in different domains. Objective-C's legacy continues to shape programming practices with its unique blend of Smalltalk-style messaging integrated with C's syntax, providing flexibility and efficiency particularly valuable in iOS and macOS app development.

Objective-C's long-standing history within the Apple ecosystem gives it a competitive advantage especially noted in its deep integration for building feature-rich applications on iOS and macOS platforms. The language’s support for extensible features like run-time type checking, reflection, categories along with extensive resources, documentation, and community support underpins its enduring relevance. While Swift has taken precedence as the primary language for new developments on Apple platforms due to its enhanced safety and performance attributes, Objective-C still holds significant importance particularly where compatibility with existing codebases is concerned or when developers prefer its unique advantages tailored specifically toward Apple platform development.