NSButton

NSButton is a control in Apple's AppKit framework used in macOS applications to trigger actions in response to user interaction. It is a subclass of NSControl and is the primary button element in AppKit’s user interface toolkit. NSButton can present text, images, or a combination, and can be configured with various styles and behaviors.

Buttons come in multiple types, including momentary (which executes an action when pressed but does not stay pressed), push-on push-off, toggle, radio, and switch configurations. The chosen type determines how the button manages its state and how it responds to user input. Appearance can be customized with bezel styles, borders, titles, images, and attributed titles, as well as the relative position of the image and title.

Key properties include title, image, alternateImage, imagePosition, isEnabled, and state. The state property reflects on/off or mixed states for toggle and switch buttons. NSButton supports accessibility features and integrates with the platform’s assistive technologies.

Behavior and interaction: NSButton uses the target-action pattern to notify code when it is activated. Developers connect a button’s action to a method on a target (often via Interface Builder or programmatically), for example during a click or key activation. In Interface Builder, a button can also be configured to participate in radio groups.

Summary: As a versatile, configurable control, NSButton handles simple actions and complex toggle or switch behaviors in macOS apps, balancing ease of use with customization and accessibility.