Objective-C

Short answer: write Objective-C (hyphen, capital O and C) in prose and documentation. In code identifiers, file names and URLs, use a hyphen-free form (ObjectiveC or Objective_C) when a hyphen is not allowed.

Quick answer

Use Objective-C in prose, docs, resumes and papers. Use ObjectiveC or Objective_C in identifiers, filenames or places where hyphens break builds.

Correct (prose): Objective-C
Incorrect: Objective C, objective-c, objective c
Code / filenames: LegacyObjectiveC, Legacy_ObjectiveC (avoid hyphens if unsupported)

Core explanation: why the hyphen matters

The hyphen joins the adjective "Objective" to the base language "C," making the name a single, recognized term. Apple and most style guides use Objective-C; dropping the hyphen reads as a casual or careless variant in formal writing.

Treat Objective-C like other compound names: machine-learning, real-time - the hyphen signals one concept.
Keep the hyphen in resumes, API docs, papers, READMEs and release notes for clarity and consistency.

Hyphenation specifics: possessives, plurals, and combined forms

Keep the hyphen in possessives, plurals and when the name combines with other operators (Objective-C++).

Possessive: Objective-C's runtime
Plural: Objective-C programs
Combined: Objective-C++ (hyphen remains, then ++)

Wrong: Objective C's runtime differs from Swift's.
Right: Objective-C's runtime differs from Swift's.
Right: The codebase contains Objective-C++ modules.

Spacing and capitalization: common slip-ups

Always capitalize O and C and never add a space. Lowercasing or inserting a space makes the term nonstandard.

Correct: Objective-C
Wrong: objective-c, Objective C, objective c
When you see variants, replace them with Objective-C in prose; keep hyphen-free forms inside code where required.

Grammar and code: when to change the form

Hyphens often break identifiers, filenames and URLs. In source code use ObjectiveC or Objective_C; in prose and comments that read as sentences, use Objective-C.

Identifiers: LegacyObjectiveCModule or Legacy_ObjectiveC
Filenames: LegacyObjectiveC.h or Legacy_ObjectiveC.h if your toolchain dislikes hyphens
Docs/comments: prefer Objective-C; if you include inline code, show both forms if it helps (Objective-C / ObjectiveC)

Work - Code: typedef struct LegacyObjectiveCModule { ... };
Work - Comment: // Mirrors Objective-C behavior in C

Real usage and tone: copyable samples for work, school and casual

Match tone to audience. Workplace and academic samples use Objective-C; casual samples accept the same correct form but allow softer language.

Work: Deprecated Objective-C API removed in v4.0.
Work: CI tests cover both Objective-C and Swift targets.
Work: Please refactor the Objective-C networking module before release.
School: In this lab we subclass an Objective-C UIViewController to implement delegation.
School: The methods follow Objective-C naming conventions; cite Apple's docs.
School: The paper compares garbage collection with Objective-C's ARC.
Casual: I still fix bugs in Objective-C projects on weekends.
Casual: Do you know Objective-C or should I port it to Swift?
Casual: Saw an old Objective-C tutorial today-nostalgic!

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence rather than the phrase alone; context clarifies whether the term should be hyphenated or converted for code.

Examples: quick wrong → right pairs you can copy

Search your text for these variants and replace them with the correct form for prose.

Search for: Objective C, objective-c, objective c, ObjectiveC (when used in prose)
Replace with: Objective-C in prose and docs; ObjectiveC only in identifiers

Wrong (email): We still maintain several Objective C modules in the legacy repo.
Right (email): We still maintain several Objective-C modules in the legacy repo.
Wrong (report): The Objective C runtime performs message passing differently.
Right (report): The Objective-C runtime performs message passing differently.
Wrong (comment): fixed a bug in objective-c networking code.
Right (comment): Fixed a bug in Objective-C networking code.
Wrong (casual): Do you know Objective C at all?
Right (casual): Do you know Objective-C at all?
Wrong (school): my lab implements objc patterns from objective-c tutorials.
Right (school): My lab implements ObjC patterns from Objective-C tutorials.
Wrong (work): Add an Objective C bridge header for the module.
Right (work): Add an Objective-C bridging header for the module.
Wrong (README): supports Objective C, swift and c++.
Right (README): Supports Objective-C, Swift and C++.

Rewrite help: fast, paste-ready fixes and edit steps

Three simple steps to fix text:

Search for variants (Objective C, objective-c, objective c, ObjectiveC used in prose).
Replace with Objective-C.
Re-check possessives, plurals and surrounding punctuation.

If text is code, keep hyphen-free identifiers and add a clarifying comment if needed.
When in doubt in formal writing, prefer Objective-C.

Original: Our Objective C implementation is deprecated.
Rewrite: Our Objective-C implementation is deprecated.
Original: The Objective C bridge header is missing.
Rewrite: The Objective-C bridging header is missing.
Original: I submitted the objective-c lab late.
Rewrite: I submitted the Objective-C lab late.
Original: add support for Objective C and Swift.
Rewrite: Add support for Objective-C and Swift.
Original: objective-c headers are in the include folder.
Rewrite: Objective-C headers are in the include folder.
Original: The Objective C++ bindings are experimental.
Rewrite: The Objective-C++ bindings are experimental.

Memory trick and quick editing checklist

Mnemonic: Objective + C = Objective-C. The hyphen joins them into one name, like machine-learning. Use that image when proofreading.

Checklist: Search for Objective C / objective-c / objective c / ObjectiveC → Replace with Objective-C in prose → Verify possessives/plurals → Keep identifiers hyphen-free in code.
Tip: Use a regex like (Objective[ -]?C|objective[ -]?c|ObjectiveC) to find common variants quickly.
Example action: Run a repo-wide search for 'Objective C' and replace in docs and comments; update filenames and build scripts separately if needed.

Similar mistakes and related terms

Keep other language names and platform trademarks in their canonical forms and use parallel formatting in lists.

Correct forms: Objective-C++, C++, Swift, Xcode, iOS, macOS
Wrong: Objective C++, C plus plus, X code - these break readability and correctness.
When listing languages: keep parallel capitalization and punctuation: Objective-C, Swift, and C++.

Wrong: We mixed Objective C++ and C++ code in the module.
Right: We mixed Objective-C++ and C++ code in the module.
Usage: Support planned for Objective-C, Swift and C++.

FAQ

Is it Objective C or Objective-C?

Objective-C: hyphenated and capitalized in prose and documentation.

Can I write objective-c in lowercase?

Lowercase objective-c is nonstandard in technical writing. Use Objective-C for clarity and professionalism.

Can I use a hyphen in code identifiers, filenames or URLs?

Hyphens often break identifiers and tools. Use ObjectiveC or Objective_C in code and filenames; keep Objective-C in prose and docs.

How do I make Objective-C possessive or plural?

Possessive: Objective-C's (e.g., Objective-C's runtime). Plural: Objective-C programs. The hyphen stays with the name.

Is Objective-C++ written with a hyphen?

Yes. Write Objective-C++ (hyphen is part of the name, followed by ++).

Quick pre-publish checklist

Before publishing: search for Objective C / objective-c / objective c / ObjectiveC in prose and replace with Objective-C. Adjust code, filenames and build scripts separately.

If you'd like, paste a sentence here and it will be rewritten in Objective-C form with two alternate rewrites for different audiences.