seniorObjective-C
How does category method resolution conflict work in Objective-C?
Updated May 17, 2026
Short answer
If multiple categories define the same method, the last loaded category wins.
Deep explanation
Objective-C does not support true method overriding in categories. At runtime, method implementations are merged into the class method list, and the last loaded category method replaces previous ones. This leads to undefined behavior and maintenance risks in large projects.
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