NSHipster
NSHipster is an independent technical blog founded in 2012 that publishes weekly in-depth articles on obscure Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa topics for Apple platform developers. It also maintains open-source Swift tools and operates under a Creative Commons BY-NC license.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What NSHipster does
NSHipster is an independent technical publication founded in 2012 by Mattt Thompson (Mattt) and based in Portland, Oregon. Self-described as "a journal of the overlooked bits in Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa," it publishes weekly in-depth articles on obscure Apple platform frameworks, language features, and developer tooling — content not typically covered by Apple's official documentation or mainstream tutorials. Contributing author Nate Cook (creator of SwiftDoc.org) joined in 2015. The audience is Apple platform developers (iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS) seeking advanced technical reference material.
The core product surface consists of the blog itself (nshipster.com) plus two open-source software artifacts: Replay, a Swift testing tool that records HTTP traffic as HAR files and replays it via Swift Testing, and swift-sh, a tool for distributing Swift programs via Homebrew. Articles are mirrored on a public GitHub repository that accepts reader pull requests, and the publication maintains an RSS feed and an active Twitter presence (@NSHipster). All content is released under a Creative Commons BY-NC License, meaning there is no paywall, subscription, or commercial product offering.
The business model is non-commercial in its explicit structure: there are no disclosed prices, no pricing pages, no advertising inventory surfaced, and no sponsorship or partnership agreements identified. The publication appears to be operated as a personal/independent project by its founders without external investment, formal corporate registration, or disclosed revenue. Any economic value generated by NSHipster is therefore indirect — likely through the founders' adjacent consulting, library work (e.g., Alamofire, Surge), and personal brand — rather than from the publication itself.
NSHipster firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NSHipster
- Legal name
- NSHipster
- Website
- https://nshipster.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NSHipster is an independent technical blog founded in 2012 that publishes weekly in-depth articles on obscure Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa topics for Apple platform developers. It also maintains open-source Swift tools and operates under a Creative Commons BY-NC license.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NSHipster industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Developer Technical Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News & Content Aggregation Portals (BPAMAAAI)
Keywords
Where NSHipster is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
NSHipster business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
NSHipster product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NSHipster is a weekly technical journal/blog that publishes in-depth articles on overlooked and obscure aspects of Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa development for Apple platform developers. The publication also maintains Replay, an open-source Swift testing tool that records HTTP traffic as HAR files and replays it through Swift Testing to enable reliable, mock-free API tests.
Product overview
NSHipster is a technical publication/blog covering overlooked aspects of Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa development. The publication offers educational articles, Swift/Easter egg quizzes, and technical deep-dives. Its primary product is Replay, an open-source testing tool for Swift that enables fast, reliable API testing without mocks or stale fixtures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NSHipster Journal A weekly technical blog/journal that publishes articles on overlooked and advanced topics in Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa development, targeted at Apple platform developers (iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS). Released under a Creative Commons BY-NC License.
- Replay An open-source Swift testing tool that records real HTTP traffic as HAR files and replays it instantly with Swift Testing, enabling reliable API tests without mocks or stale JSON fixtures for Swift developers.
Companies that use NSHipster
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
NSHipster technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
NSHipster partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
NSHipster competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks14 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NSHipster social profiles
Digital presenceNSHipster financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NSHipster leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
NSHipster funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NSHipster M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NSHipster
What does NSHipster do?
NSHipster is a weekly technical journal/blog that publishes in-depth articles on overlooked and obscure aspects of Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa development for Apple platform developers. The publication also maintains Replay, an open-source Swift testing tool that records HTTP traffic as HAR files and replays it through Swift Testing to enable reliable, mock-free API tests.
Is NSHipster a public or private company?
NSHipster is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NSHipster founded?
NSHipster was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NSHipster based?
NSHipster is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
Does NSHipster have an API?
No public API is recorded for NSHipster.
What industry is NSHipster in?
NSHipster's product category is Developer Technical Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAAAI, News & Content Aggregation Portals. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.