How to use nonnull and nullable Objective-C keywords in block-based API method

This seems to be working

- (void)methodWithArg:(nonnull NSString *)arg1 
  andArg:(nullable NSString *)arg2 completionHandler:(nullable void (^)
  (NSArray * _Nullable results, NSError * _Nonnull error))completionHandler

You need to specify nullability both for the block and its parameters...

EDIT: For more information, see Swift Blog


According to Apple Blog ("Nullability and Objective-C"), you can use

NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN and NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END.

Within these regions, any simple pointer type will be assumed to be nonnull. Then you can just add nullable for nullable object, which like

NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN

@interface MyClass: NSObject

- (void)methodWithArg:(NSString *)arg1 andArg:(nullable NSString *)arg2 completionHandler:(void (^)(NSArray *results, NSError *error))completionHandler;

@end

NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END
  • if error is NSError ** type, should be NSError * _Nullable * _Nullable
  • if object is id * type, better use id _Nullable * _Nonnull, it depends (may be you want a _Nullable id * _Nullable type).
  • if object is NSObject * type, you need put annotation after pointer, like this NSObject * _Nullable * _Nonnull

Note

_Nonnull and _Nullable should used after pointer or id (Apple does in the example code AAPLListItem * _Nullable), but the non-underscored forms nonnull and nullable can used after an open parenthesis.

However, in the common case there’s a much nicer way to write these annotations: within method declarations you can use the non-underscored forms nullable and nonnull immediately after an open parenthesis, as long as the type is a simple object or block pointer.

check more in "Nullability and Objective-C"

For safety, there are a few exceptions to this rule:

  • typedef types don’t usually have an inherent nullability—they can easily be either nullable or non-nullable depending on the context. Therefore, typedef types are not assumed to be nonnull, even within audited regions.
  • More complex pointer types like id * must be explicitly annotated. For example, to specify a non-nullable pointer to a nullable object reference, use _Nullable id * _Nonnull.
  • The particular type NSError ** is so often used to return errors via method parameters that it is always assumed to be a nullable pointer to a nullable NSError reference.

The _Nullable id * _Nonnull can be confused, id _Nullable * _Nonnull is better understanding.

_Nonnull and _Nullable should used after pointer or id (Apple does in the example code AAPLListItem * _Nullable)


You can also do like this:

- (id __nullable)methodWithArg:(NSString * __nullable)arg1
                        andArg:(NSString * __nonnull)arg2
             completionHandler:(void (^ __nonnull)(NSArray * __nonnull results, NSError * __nullable error))completionHandler;

It only depends which syntax you like more.


To define completions in a header file I did this

typedef void (^PublicEventsHandler) (BOOL success, NSArray * _Nullable publicEvents);

Of course, I agree with the accepted answer.