Mask Objective-C code in the browser
Select classes, methods, identifiers, values, and comments to create a shareable copy that preserves Objective-C syntax. Input source code is not sent to or stored on Develop Tools servers.
Open Objective-C Code Masking ToolConclusion
Check API keys, tokens, private URLs, bundle IDs, class names, method names, and comments, then create a shareable copy that retains technical context such as NSURLSession.
Separate dangerous information from required context before sharing
NSString *apiToken = @"prod-secret-token";
NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:@"https://internal.example.test/users/12345"];
[client fetchCustomer:userID completionHandler:completion];| Candidates to retain | Candidates to hide |
|---|---|
| NSURLSession, NSString, NSError | Project-defined Class, Method, and Property |
| @interface, blocks, and property attributes | Token, URL, User ID, customer name |
| Error-handling branches | Bundle ID, File Path, Comment |
How to verify with the Objective-C code masking tool
- 1. Extract the minimum scope needed for consultation into a separate copy.
- 2. Select classes/types, methods, identifiers, values, and comments, then mask them.
- 3. Compare whether Foundation/UIKit types and error handling remain.
- 4. Restore only required technical terms individually by right-clicking, then share only the result.
Checklist to prevent oversights
| Category | Account to check |
|---|---|
| Authentication | API Key, Token, Authorization |
| Connection destination | Host, Path ID, URL Scheme |
| Identifiers | Class, Selector, Property, Ivar |
| Related information | Comment, Log, File Path, Email |
Check whether Objective-C syntax is intact.
- Whether the names of @interface, @implementation, @protocol, categories, and class extensions match between declarations and references
- Check whether selector keywords and the number of colons in methods with multiple arguments have changed.
- Whether @selector() and an ordinary method call use the same replacement name
- Check whether Property attributes, Nullability, ARC Qualifier, and Format Specifier are retained.
- Check whether NSString and C string quotation marks, Objective-C literals, Block ^, and Preprocessor line breaks are intact.
- For Objective-C++, did you also check C++ Classes, Namespaces, Templates, and Overloads?
Selectors specified as strings, KVC/KVO Keys, Notification names, and UserDefaults Keys do not automatically correspond to actual declarations. If needed, manually align them to generalized Dummy names.
Final check before external sharing
- Search for API keys, access tokens, authorization headers, passwords, and private URLs.
- Check the bundle identifier, URL scheme, Keychain key, UserDefaults key, notification name, and error domain
- Check whether the project or customer can be inferred from class, method, property, ivar, parameter, or macro names
- Check whether comments, NSLog, file paths, email, IP addresses, and JSON payloads contain the same information
- Compare whether investigation context remains, including Foundation and UIKit types, property attributes, selector colons, and format specifiers.
- Share only the masking results, and retain the original source and mapping information in an access-controlled location
Masking alone may not completely prevent information leakage. Check crash logs, console logs, screenshots, build paths, and attached JSON separately as well.
What the current Objective-C code masking tool can and cannot do
| Item | Current support | Points to note |
|---|---|---|
| Input | Paste Objective-C text | Do not directly load .m, .h, or .mm files. |
| syntax | Retain @interface, @implementation, @protocol, @property, and similar items as reserved words. | It is not complete parsing equivalent to a compiler |
| Identifiers | Classify classes / types, functions / methods, and other identifiers | The reserved-word list for public framework symbols is limited, so visual review of results is necessary |
| Selector | Map each keyword piece in declarations, message expressions, and @selector() to the same name | It does not automatically synchronize with string Selectors such as NSSelectorFromString. |
| Literal | Mask NSString, C strings, characters, and numeric values. | Does not determine meanings such as KVC keys, notification names, or localization keys |
| Preprocessor | Retain #import, #include, and #pragma lines, and process #define names and values. | Internal header names remain in #import lines and require separate checking. |
| Objective-C++ | Pasted text equivalent to .mm can also be processed. | Not a feature for fully parsing C++ templates, namespaces, and overloads |
| output | Copy results, clear all, and individually unmask results by right-clicking | Do not provide downloads, mapping lists, or mappings across multiple files |
| Save | Save only display settings in LocalStorage. | Do not save input source, results, or history in LocalStorage. |
| Privacy | Process input and conversion in the browser. | Do not send or save Source and results to the Develop Tools server. |
Masking results are copies for sharing. They do not replace builds, tests, static analysis, or actual-device checks using Xcode or Clang.
Check the language specification using primary sources
- Apple: Programming with Objective-C
- Clang: Objective-C Automatic Reference Counting
- Clang: Language Specification for Blocks
- Apple: Importing Objective-C into Swift
For ARC, blocks, properties, nullability, and Swift interoperability behavior, check primary sources and build results, including the versions of Xcode, Clang, and SDK you use.
Example: ask AI about a build error
Check API keys, tokens, private URLs, bundle IDs, class names, method names, and comments, then create a shareable copy that retains technical context such as NSURLSession.
Use the minimum range that reproduces the issue, and verify with generalized dummy values rather than real tokens, real customer information, or internal URLs.
- Extract minimal reproducible Code into a separate Copy
- Mask identifiers, values, and Comments
- Compare Objective-C-specific syntax
- Share only the masking results
You can individually unmask anonymized locations in the result by right-clicking. After unmasking, recheck whether the original information is unnecessary to share.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I directly load .m, .h, and .mm files?
- Direct loading is not supported. Paste the required Text into the input field. .mm-equivalent Text can also be processed, but this is not a complete Objective-C++ Parser that includes C++ syntax.
- Do @selector() and KVC strings also use the same names as their declarations?
- Words in @selector() usually correspond to the same mapping as the method. However, string literals such as NSSelectorFromString, KVC keys, and notification names do not automatically stay synchronized with declarations and must be checked manually.
- Is the entered Objective-C Source sent to a server?
- Input and masking results are processed in the browser and are not sent to or stored on the Develop Tools server. Only display settings are saved to LocalStorage.