Getting name of the class from an instance

Question

I have the following problem: I get an instance of a class passed and want to know the name of the class of this instance. How to get this?

Perhaps reword your question or accept the answer that matches the question? — Jasper Blues, Nov 07 '13 at 12:33
@JasperBlues: Done, didn't even realize how popular this got! — Robin, Nov 07 '13 at 16:05

score 413 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 07 '10 at 17:33

413

NSStringFromClass([instance class]) should do the trick.

answered Feb 07 '10 at 17:33

CiNN

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Upvoted for answering the question so that googlers can get an answer, instead of anticipating the need. – Gleno Aug 03 '13 at 18:41
2

Remember to `#import ` to able to call class on an instance. – JP Illanes Mar 11 '15 at 08:04

score 31 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 07 '10 at 17:39

31

if all you want to do is test an object to see if it's a type of a certain Class

BOOL test = [self isKindOfClass:[SomeClass class]];

answered Feb 07 '10 at 17:39

kubi

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score 17 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 13 '14 at 05:42

17

From within the class itself

-(NSString *) className
{
    return NSStringFromClass([self class]);
}

answered Jul 13 '14 at 05:42

Katedral Pillon

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Absolutely don't want to arouse your anger, but this was the second iOS-related answer in your profile. It seems to me to add only that we can refer to an instance as "self" from within its implementation. Would you defend this as adding substantially to the three-year-old accepted answer? – danh Sep 17 '14 at 21:49
@danh I see you are hunting me down. Good for you! – Katedral Pillon Sep 17 '14 at 22:03
Sorry, I just clicked this one, and debated about whether to say anything. Just wanted to do some gentle ribbing, but I know that tempers get hot pretty quickly in these semi-faceless settings. Thanks for being good natured about it. (In fact, +1 for practicing encapsulation). – danh Sep 17 '14 at 22:07
2

This adds nothing to the answer except trouble. – Nikolai Ruhe Feb 08 '15 at 10:59
1

Should make this a class method – Bhumit Muchhadia Nov 14 '17 at 04:35

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 05 '18 at 06:14

5

OBJC:

NSStringFromClass([instance class])

SWIFT

From instance:

String(describing: YourType.self)

From type:

String(describing: self)

answered Dec 05 '18 at 06:14

Lal Krishna

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score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 07 '16 at 16:59

2

You can also use [[self class] description]

answered Jan 07 '16 at 16:59

Jeremie D

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score 2 · Answer 6 · edited Nov 13 '17 at 10:44

2

Just add a category:

NSObject+Extensions.h
- (NSString *)className;

NSObject+Extensions.m
- (NSString *)className {
    return NSStringFromClass(self.class);
}

Then use the following code:

NSString *className = [[SomeObject new] className];

or even:

NSString *className = SomeObject.new.className;

To use it anywhere add the category to YourProject.pch file.

edited Nov 13 '17 at 10:44

Alper

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answered May 21 '16 at 07:20

ealee

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If called on a Swift class, this returns a namespaced classname. – Alper Nov 14 '17 at 12:51

score 0 · Answer 7 · edited Jun 29 '16 at 00:47

0

If you are looking how get classname in Swift you can use reflect to get information about object.

let tokens = split(reflect(self).summary, { $0 == "." })
if let typeName = tokens.last {
    println(typeName)
}

edited Jun 29 '16 at 00:47

pkamb

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answered Feb 08 '15 at 10:37

Roman Barzyczak

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or just `self.dynamicType` – jbg Jan 03 '16 at 21:08

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Jun 07 '23 at 10:08

for instance
- NSString* classNameNSStr = [someObjcInstance className]
for class
- NSString* classNameNSStr = NSStringFromClass(someObjcClass)
- const char* className = object_getClassName(someObjcClass)

--> related:

just want compare is some class or not
- -> not need get class name, just need use isKindOfClass:
  - BOOL isSameClass = [someObjcInstance isKindOfClass: SomeClass];
    - SomeClass can get from: objc_getClass("SomeClassName")

Getting name of the class from an instance

8 Answers8

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