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/System/Library/Frameworks
Summary
Frameworks are folders each containing a dynamic library and resources for that, library such as images and localization strings. All frameworks have the file extension .framework.
On the iOS there are 2 kinds of frameworks: public frameworks and private frameworks. Public frameworks are those ones endorsed by Apple and are allowed to be used in AppStore apps. Private frameworks are intended to be used only by original apps, and are more unstable against firmware changes, but many of the interesting features are in the private frameworks.
Public Frameworks
All public frameworks can be found inside /System/Library/Frameworks.
| Framework | 4.x | 5.x | 6.x | Prefix | Language | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerate | Yes | Yes | Yes | cblas, vDSP | C | Vector and Matrix math, digital signal processing, large number handling, and image processing |
| Accounts | No | Yes | Yes | AC | Obj-C | Provides access to accounts in the Accounts database. Allows creation of accounts if none exsist. Only Twitter is avaliable in iOS 5.0 and later. |
| AddressBook | Yes | Yes | Yes | AB | Obj-C | Provides access to the Address Book database. |
| AdSupport | No | No | Yes | AS | Obj-C | Provides access to identifiers for serving adverts and a flag that indicates if limited tracking is on. |
| AssetsLibrary | Yes | Yes | Yes | AL | Obj-C | Used to access pictures and videos managed by the Photos application. |
| AudioToolbox | Yes | Yes | Yes | AU, Audio | -- | Provides interfaces for recording, playback, stream parsing, and managing audio sessions. Part of CoreAudio |
| AudioUnit | Yes | Yes | Yes | AU, Audio | -- | Interfaces for the loading of audio units and their use. |
| AVFoundation | Yes | Yes | Yes | AV | Obj-C | Used for playing and recording audio and video. |
| CFNetwork | Yes | Yes | Yes | CF | C | Intefaces for high-performance networking. |
| CoreAudio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Audio | C++ | Declares constants and data-types used by other interfaces in CoreAudio. |
| CoreBluetooth | No | Yes | Yes | CB | Obj-C | Provides access to Bluetooth peripherals (hardware). |
| CoreData | Yes | Yes | Yes | NS | Obj-C | Interfaces for application data model manipulation. |
| CoreFoundation | Yes | Yes | Yes | CF | C | Basic data management and services |
| CoreGraphics | Yes | Yes | Yes | CG | C | APIs to interface with the Quartz engine, allows 2D rendering, etc. |
| CoreImage | No | Yes | Yes | CI | Obj-C | Interfaces for manipulating images and video. |
| CoreLocation | Yes | Yes | Yes | CL | Obj-C | Iterfaces for determining location. |
| CoreMedia | Yes | Yes | Yes | CM | C | Low-level routines for manipulating audio and video. |
| CoreMIDI | Yes | Yes | Yes | MIDI | Obj-C | Routines for handling MIDI data. Only avaliable on iOS 4.2 and later. Part of Core Audio. |
| CoreMotion | Yes | Yes | Yes | CM | Obj-C, C++ | Iterfaces for accessing acceleromtere and gyrometric data. |
| CoreTelephony | Yes | Yes | Yes | CT | Obj-C | Allows access to Carrier information and information pertaining to a current call. |
| CoreText | Yes | Yes | Yes | CT | C++ | Text layout and rendering engine. |
| CoreVideo | Yes | Yes | Yes | CV | -- | Low-level routines for manipulating audio and video - Apple advises not to use this framework directly, and although public doesn't document much of it. |
| EventKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | EK | Obj-C | Interfaces for accessing Calendar event data. This is a replacement for the older Calendar.framework. |
| EventKitUI | Yes | Yes | Yes | EK | Obj-C | Classes for system graphical interfaces. |
| ExternalAccessory | Yes | Yes | Yes | EA | Obj-C | Interfaces for communication with attached external accessories via 30-pin dock or BlueTooth, Lightning is not yet mentioned by Apple in documentation. |
| Foundation | Yes | Yes | Yes | NS | Obj-C | Objetive-C wrappers to features found in CoreFoundation with extra features and functionality not covered by Objetive-C |
| GameKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | GK | Obj-C | Manages P2P connectivity. With iOS 4.1 and later, GameKit can be used with Game Center (an extension to the framework) to create social games. |
| GLKit | No | Yes | Yes | GLK | Obj-C | Utility classes for building OpenGL ES applications. |
| GSS.framework | No | Yes | Yes | gss | -- | Security related services - Apple advises to look at the headers as they provide no documentation. |
| iAD | Yes | Yes | Yes | AD | Obj-c | Classes for displaying advertisements |
| ImageIO | Yes | Yes | Yes | CG | C++ | Input and output for images. Part of CoreGraphics |
| IOKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | -- | C++ | Low-level framework for communicating with the kernal and hardware. Apple advises not to use this framework directly and will reject it from the AppStore. |
| MapKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | MK | Obj-C | Classes for embedding Map graphical interfaces. Pre iOS 5.1 Google Mobile Maps is used to provide map data, post iOS 5.1 Apple provides the map data. |
| MediaPlayer | Yes | Yes | Yes | MP | Obj-C | Provides facilities to play audio, and video. Also allows access to the iPod or 'Music' library. |
| MediaToolbox | No | No | Yes | MT | C++ | Apple has no reference as of writing, headers appear to suggest audio processing. |
| MessageUI | Yes | Yes | Yes | MF | Obj-C | Interfaces for SMS and Mail compose view controller without leaving the application. |
| MobileCoreServices | Yes | Yes | Yes | UT | C | Defines UTIs supported by the system. |
| NewsstandKit | No | Yes | Yes | NK | Obj-C | Interfaces for downloading Newsstand application content. |
| OpenAL | Yes | Yes | Yes | AL | C++ | Interface for the cross-platform audio library |
| OpenGLES | Yes | Yes | Yes | EAGL, GL | C | Interface for the OpenGL ES library. |
| PassKit | No | No | Yes | PK | Obj-C | Interfaces for creation of Passes for Passbook.app. |
| QuartzCore | Yes | Yes | Yes | CA | Obj-C | Contains the CoreAntimation interfaces |
| QuickLook | Yes | Yes | Yes | QL | Obj-C | Interfaces for previewing files of formats you don't handle. |
| Security | Yes | Yes | Yes | CSSM, Sec | Obj-C | Interfactes for managing keys, trust policies, and certificates. |
| Social | No | No | Yes | SL | Obj-C | Interfaces for interacting with social accounts. Currently they are Facebook, Twitter, and Sina Weibo. |
| StoreKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | SK | Obj-C | Interfaces for handling the transactions in in-app purchases. |
| SystemConfiguration | Yes | Yes | Yes | SC | C++ | Iterfaces for determining network avaliablity. |
| No | Yes | Yes | TW | Obj-C | Interfaces for sending tweets. In iOS 6.0 and later this should be replaced by Social.framework as it will eventually be depricated. | |
| UIKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | UI | Obj-C | Classes for iOS UI elements and for the user interface layer of applciations. |
| VideoToolbox | No | No | Yes | -- | -- | Interfaces used by the device. Apple states not to include this framework directly. |
Private Frameworks
All private frameworks can be found inside /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks. The descriptions may be incorrect, since most frameworks are not documented after all.
| Framework | Description |
|---|---|
| FaceCoreLight | Face recognition. |
| Internal Preferences | Internal Settings.bundle relies on this framework. |
| FTServices | FaceTime / iMessage auth framework. |
| AXRuntime | Accessibility. |
| GPUSupport | Used extensively by the user-mode porion of the PowerVR drivers. |
| H4ISPServices | Interface to the camera driver on H4 (Apple A5) |
| Apple's twitter implementation in iOS 5. | |
| OpenCL | Apple's implementation of Khronos' OpenCL. |
| XPCObjects | An Objective-C wrapper of the XPC interprocess communication interface. |
| AppleSerialMultiplexer | An interface to the multiplexer daemon. |
Files
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