View source for NeXTSTEP

{{Short description|Operating system from NeXT Computer}}
{{Other uses|Next Step (disambiguation){{!}}Next Step}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = NeXTSTEP
| logo = [[File:NeXTSTEP logo.svg|frameless|upright=0.5]]
| screenshot = NeXTSTEP desktop.png
| caption = NeXTSTEP [[graphical user interface]]
| developer = [[NeXT]]
| family = [[Unix]] ([[4.3BSD-Tahoe]])
| working_state = Historic as original code base for [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]], which was the base for [[macOS]], which in turn was the base of [[iOS]], [[iPadOS]], [[watchOS]] and [[tvOS]]
| source_model = [[Closed source]] with some [[open-source software|open-source]] components
| released = {{start date and age|1989|09|18}}
| latest_release_version = 3.3
| latest_release_date = {{end date|1995}}
| latest_preview_version = 4.2 Pre-release 2
| latest_preview_date = September 1997
| frequently_updated = 
| marketing_target = [[Big business|Enterprise]], [[academia]]
| language = 
| prog_language = [[C (programming language)|C]], [[Objective-C]]
| updatemodel = 
| package_manager = Installer.app
| supported_platforms = [[Motorola 68000 series|Motorola 68030/68040]], [[IA-32]], [[SPARC]], [[PA-RISC]]
| kernel_type = [[Hybrid kernel|Hybrid]] ([[Mach (kernel)|Mach]], [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]])
| userland = [[BSD]]
| ui = [[Graphical user interface|Graphical]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[EULA]]
| preceded_by = 
| succeeded_by = [[OpenStep]], [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]], [[macOS]], [[iOS]], [[iPadOS]], [[watchOS]], [[tvOS]], [[GNUstep]]
| website = 
| discontinued = yes
}}
{{macOS topics}}

'''NeXTSTEP''' is a discontinued [[Object-oriented programming|object-oriented]], [[computer multitasking|multitasking]] [[operating system]] based on the [[Mach kernel]] and the [[UNIX]]-derived [[BSD]]. It was developed by [[NeXT]], founded by [[Steve Jobs]], in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was initially used for its range of proprietary [[workstation]] computers such as the [[NeXT Computer]]. It was later ported to several other [[computer architecture]]s.

Although relatively unsuccessful at the time, it attracted interest from computer scientists and researchers. It hosted the original development of the Electronic AppWrapper,<ref name="CT-AW3">{{cite web|url=http://www.kevra.org/TheBestOfNext/SWCatalogs/page274/page274.html|title=Electronic AppWrapper|website=Kevra.org|access-date=November 22, 2013}}</ref> the first commercial electronic software distribution catalog to collectively manage encryption and provide digital rights for [[application software]] and [[digital media]], a forerunner of the modern "[[app store]]" concept. It is the platform on which [[Tim Berners-Lee]] created the first [[web browser]], and on which [[id Software]] developed the video games ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]''.<ref name="kHz0g">{{Cite web|url=https://rome.ro/news/2016/2/14/apple-next-merger-birthday|title=Apple-NeXT Merger Birthday!|date=December 20, 2006|website=rome.ro|language=en|access-date=October 5, 2019}}</ref><ref name="eZXqK">{{Cite web|url=https://rome.ro/news/2015/12/13/gametales-cray-ymp|title=GameTales: Cray 6400|date=January 31, 2010|website=rome.ro|language=en|access-date=October 5, 2019}}</ref>

In 1996, [[Apple Computer]] acquired NeXT. Apple needed a successor to the [[classic Mac OS]], and merged NeXTSTEP and [[OpenStep]] with the Macintosh user environment to create Mac OS X (later renamed [[macOS]]). All of Apple's subsequent platforms since [[iPhone OS 1]] were then based on Mac OS X.

==Overview==
NeXTSTEP (also stylized as '''NeXTstep''', '''NeXTStep''', and '''NEXTSTEP'''<ref name="kevra">{{cite web|url=http://www.kevra.org/TheBestOfNext/DifferentNeXTSpellings/DifferentNeXTSpellings.html|title=What's with all the NeXT names?|last=Ford|first=Kevin|year=2008| work=www.kevra.org|access-date=September 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name="confusion">{{cite web | title=OpenStep Confusion | date=January 11, 2000 | first=Tomi | last=Engel | url=https://www.objectfarm.org/Activities/Publications/TheMerger/OpenstepConfusion.html | website=Object Farm | access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref>) is a combination of several parts:
* a [[Unix]] operating system based on the [[Mach kernel]], plus [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]]
* [[Display PostScript]] and a proprietary windowing engine
* the [[Objective-C]] language and runtime
* an [[object-oriented programming|object-oriented]] (OO) application layer, including several "kits"
* development tools for the OO layers.

NeXTSTEP is a preeminent implementation of the last three items. The toolkits are the canonical development system for all of the software on the system.

It introduced the idea of the [[Dock (macOS)|Dock]] (carried through [[OpenStep]] and into [[macOS]]) and the [[Shelf (computing)|Shelf]]. NeXTSTEP originated or innovated a large number of other [[GUI]] concepts which became common in other operating systems: 3D chiseled widgets, large full-color [[icon (computing)|icon]]s, system-wide drag and drop of a wide range of objects beyond file icons, system-wide piped [[Services menu|services]], real-time scrolling and window dragging, properties dialog boxes called "inspectors", and window modification notices (such as the saved status of a file). The system is among the first general-purpose user interfaces to handle publishing color standards, transparency, sophisticated sound and music processing (through a [[Motorola 56000]] [[Digital signal processor|DSP]]), advanced [[graphics primitives]], internationalization, and modern [[typography]], in a consistent manner across all applications.

Additional kits were added to the product line. These include Portable Distributed Objects (PDO), which allow easy [[remote invocation]], and [[Enterprise Objects Framework]], an [[object-relational]] [[database]] system. The kits made the system particularly interesting to custom application programmers, and NeXTSTEP had a long history in the financial programming domain.<ref name="kevra" />

==History==
NeXTSTEP was built upon Mach and BSD, initially [[4.3BSD-Tahoe]]. A preview release of NeXTSTEP (version 0.8) was shown with the launch of the [[NeXT Computer]] on October 12, 1988. The first full release, NeXTSTEP 1.0, shipped on September 18, 1989.<ref name="osxbook">{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Amit|title=What is Mac OS X?|url=http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/ancient/whatismacosx/history.html|work=osxbook.com|access-date=April 18, 2011|date=December 2003|archive-date=May 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514135706/http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/ancient/whatismacosx/history.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was updated to [[4.3BSD-Reno]] in NeXTSTEP 3.0. The last version, 3.3, was released in early 1995, for the [[Motorola]] [[68000 family]] based NeXT computers, [[Intel]] [[x86]], [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]] [[SPARC]], and [[HP PA-RISC]]-based systems.

NeXT separated the underlying operating system from the application frameworks, producing [[OpenStep]]. OpenStep and its applications can run on multiple underlying operating systems, including OPENSTEP, [[Windows NT]], and [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]]. In 1997, it was updated to [[4.4BSD]] while assimilated into Apple's development of [[Rhapsody (operating system)|Rhapsody]] for x86 and PowerPC. NeXTSTEP's direct descendant is Apple's [[macOS]], which then yielded [[iPhone OS 1]], [[iOS]], [[iPadOS]], [[watchOS]], and [[tvOS]].

==Legacy==
The first [[web browser]], [[WorldWideWeb]], and the first [[app store]]<ref name="3W36a">{{Cite web|url=https://appstorey.com/2016/04/11/jesse-tayler-talks-appstore-and-nextstep-with-appstorey/|title=Jesse Tayler talks App Store and NeXTSTEP with AppStorey|date=April 11, 2016|website=AppStorey|language=en|access-date=January 9, 2019}}</ref> were all invented on the NeXTSTEP platform.

{{blockquote|1990 CERN: A Joint proposal for a hypertext system is presented to the management. Mike Sendall buys a NeXT cube for evaluation, and gives it to [[Tim Berners-Lee]]. Tim's prototype implementation on NeXTSTEP is made in the space of a few months, thanks to the qualities of the NeXTSTEP software development system. This prototype offers WYSIWYG browsing/authoring! Current Web browsers used in "surfing the Internet" are mere passive windows, depriving the user of the possibility to contribute. During some sessions in the CERN cafeteria, Tim and I try to find a catching name for the system. I was determined that the name should not yet again be taken from Greek mythology. Tim proposes "World-Wide Web". I like this very much, except that it is difficult to pronounce in French...|[[Robert Cailliau]], 2 November 1995<ref name="Ben">{{cite web|url=http://www.netvalley.com/cgi-bin/intval/net_history.pl?chapter=4|title=Roads and Crossroads of Internet History Chapter 4: Birth of the Web}}</ref>
}}

Some features and [[keyboard shortcut]]s now common to web browsers originated in NeXTSTEP conventions. The basic layout options of [[HTML]] 1.0 and 2.0 are attributable to those features of NeXT's Text class.<ref name="EA2Zg">{{cite web |url=http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/WorldWideWeb.html |first1=Tim |last1=Berners-Lee |title=The WorldWideWeb browser |publisher=W3C}}</ref>

[[Lighthouse Design|Lighthouse Design Ltd]]. developed ''Diagram!'', a drawing tool, originally called BLT (for Box-and-Line Tool) in which objects (boxes) are connected together using "smart links" (lines) to construct diagrams such a [[flow chart]]s. This basic design can be enhanced by the simple addition of new links and new documents, located anywhere in the local area network, that foreshadowed Tim Berners-Lee's initial prototype that was written on NeXTSTEP in October–December 1990.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

In the 1990s, the pioneering PC games ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'', ''[[Doom II]]'', ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'', and their respective level editors were [[Development of Doom#Programming|developed]] by [[id Software]] on NeXT machines. Other games based on the [[Doom engine|''Doom'' engine]] such as ''[[Heretic (video game)|Heretic]]'' and its sequel ''[[Hexen: Beyond Heretic|Hexen]]'' by [[Raven Software]], and ''[[Strife (1996 video game)|Strife]]'' by [[Rogue Entertainment]] were developed on NeXT hardware using id's tools.<ref name="iQQWn">{{cite web|url=http://rome.ro/2006/12/apple-next-merger-birthday.html|title=Apple-NeXT Merger Birthday!|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070305165006/http://rome.ro/2006/12/apple-next-merger-birthday.html|archive-date=March 5, 2007}}</ref>

[[Altsys]] made the NeXTSTEP application Virtuoso. Version 2 was later ported to the [[classic Mac OS]] and Windows, becoming [[Macromedia FreeHand]] version 4. The modern "Notebook" interface for [[Mathematica]], and the advanced spreadsheet [[Lotus Improv]], were developed using NeXTSTEP. The software that controlled [[MCI Communications|MCI]]'s Friends and Family calling plan program was developed using NeXTSTEP.<ref name="rnZlL">{{cite web|url=http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q1.07/141B0B5A-C8DE-49D2-BFDF-DB75E44A3285.html|title=Why OS X is on the iPhone, but not the PC|date= January 24, 2007|website=Roughly Drafted|quote=MCI used NeXT software to power its revolutionary Friends and Family networking referral campaign, which other rivals couldn't match for years.}}</ref><ref name="mJqf8">{{cite web|url=http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/Business/NextOrderOfBusiness.html|title=Water Utility Consultants {{!}} Water Utility Consulting by StepWise|website=Stepwise.com|date=September 12, 2012|access-date=July 17, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060407085233/http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/Business/NextOrderOfBusiness.html|archive-date=April 7, 2006}}</ref>

About the time of the release of NeXTSTEP 3.2, NeXT partnered with [[Sun Microsystems]] to develop [[OpenStep]]. It is the product of an effort to separate the underlying operating system from the higher-level object libraries to create a cross-platform object-oriented API standard derived from NeXTSTEP. [[OpenStep]] was released for Sun's [[Oracle Solaris|Solaris]], [[Windows NT]], and NeXT's [[Mach kernel]]-based operating system. NeXT's implementation is called "[[OpenStep#OPENSTEP for Mach|OPENSTEP for Mach]]" and its first release (4.0) superseded NeXTSTEP 3.3 on NeXT, Sun, and Intel [[IA-32]] systems.

Following an announcement on December 20, 1996,<ref name="6Wesm">{{cite press release|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Agrees to Acquire NeXT Software Inc.|publisher=Apple Computer, Inc.|date=December 20, 1996|url=http://live.apple.com/next/961220.pr.rel.next.html | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970301172356/http://live.apple.com/next/961220.pr.rel.next.html | archive-date=March 1, 1997 | access-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref> [[Apple Computer]] acquired NeXT on February 4, 1997, for $429 million. Based upon the "OPENSTEP for Mach" operating system, and developing the OpenStep API to become [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]], Apple created the basis of [[Mac OS X]],<ref name="EVcL5">{{cite book| title=Apple Confidential: The Real Story of Apple Computer, Inc| url=https://archive.org/details/appleconfidentia00linz| url-access=registration|last=Linzmayer|first=Owen W.|year= 1999| publisher=No Starch Press| isbn=9781886411289}}</ref> and eventually of [[iOS]], [[iPadOS]], [[watchOS]], and [[tvOS]].

[[GNUstep]] is a [[free software]] implementation of the OpenStep standard.<ref name="GNUStep: Introduction">{{cite web | title=GNUStep: Introduction | publisher=GNUStep.org | url=http://gnustep.org/information/aboutGNUstep.html | access-date=May 2, 2013}}</ref>

==Release history==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!|Version
!|Date
!|Distribution medium
!Architecture
!Basis
!|Notes
|-
||0.8
||October 12, 1988
||[[Magneto-optical disc|MO disc]]
|[[Motorola 68000 series|m68k]]
| rowspan="9" |4.3BSD-Tahoe
||NeXTStep [[Merriam-Webster|Digital Webster]], [[Shakespeare bibliography|Complete Works]] of William Shakespeare, [[netboot]], [[Network File System|NFS]]
|-
||0.8a
||1988
||MO disc
|m68k
||
|-
||0.9
||1988
||MO disc
|m68k
||[http://chiclassiccomp.org/docs/content/computing/NeXT/NeXT%200.9-1.0%20Release%20Description.pdf NeXT 0.9/1.0 Release Description]
|-
||1.0
||1989
||MO disc
|m68k
||
|-
||1.0a
||1989
||MO disc
|m68k
||[https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterl/4413071416/in/pool-next/ Photo of NeXTSTEP 1.0a MO disc]
|-
||2.0
||September 18, 1990
||MO disc, CD-ROM
|m68k
||Support for the [[NeXTstation]], [[NeXTcube]] ([[Motorola 68040|68040]]). Support for [[floppy disk]], [[CD-ROM]], [[Fax modem]]s, and [[Framebuffer#History|color graphics]]. Workspace Manager now has the Shelf, copies performed in background, black hole is replaced by recycler icon. Terminal.app. Dynamic loading of drivers.<ref name="info taken from">{{cite web| url = http://www.levenez.com/NeXTSTEP/Logiciels.html| title = Logiciels NeXT| language = French| trans-title = NeXT software}}</ref><ref name="lDX0O">{{cite web| url = http://chiclassiccomp.org/docs/content/computing/NeXT/NeXTSTEP%202.0%20Release%20Notes.pdf| title = NeXTSTEP 2.0 Release Notes (User)}}</ref>
|-
||2.1
||March 25, 1991
||MO disc, CD-ROM
|m68k
||Support for the [[NeXTdimension]] board. [[TeX]], internationalization improvements. New machines with 2.1 include [[Lotus Improv]].<ref name="info taken from" />
|-
||2.1a
||
||MO disc, CD-ROM
|m68k
||
|-
||2.2
||
||CD-ROM
|m68k
||Support for the [[NeXTstation]] Turbo
|-
||3.0
||September 8, 1992<ref name="lTNnb">{{cite web |url = http://www.skytel.co.cr/bsd/research/1992/0908.htm |title = NeXT Ships NeXTSTEP Release 3.0, Third Generation of the Complete Object-Oriented Environment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162529/http://www.skytel.co.cr/bsd/research/1992/0908.htm |archive-date=July 18, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
||CD-ROM
|m68k
| rowspan="8" |4.3BSD-Reno
||[[Project Builder]], [[3D computer graphics|3D]] support with [[RenderMan (software)|Interactive RenderMan]], [[Pantone#Pantone Color Matching System|Pantone colors]], [[PostScript#PostScript Level 2|PostScript Level 2]], [[Object Linking and Embedding]], [[distributed object|Distributed Objects]], [[Database]] Kit, [[Phone]] Kit, [[full text search|Indexing Kit]], [[precompiled headers]], [[Hierarchical File System (Apple)|HFS]], [[AppleTalk]], and [[Novell NetWare]].
|-
||3.1
||May 25, 1993
||CD-ROM
|m68k, i386
||First release for the [[i386]] architecture, introducing [[Fat binary#NeXT's/Apple's multi-architecture binaries|fat binaries]].
|-
||3.2
||October 1993
||CD-ROM
|m68k, i386
||Support for Insignia Solutions [[SoftPC]] emulation software, allowing users to run - and use data with - legacy [[MS-DOS]] and Windows applications<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1993-10-28 |title=SOFTPC INCLUDED IN NEXTSTEP 3.2 |url=https://www.techmonitor.ai/hardware/softpc_included_in_nextstep_32_portable_objects_out_first_in_hewlett_packard_version |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=Tech Monitor |language=en-US |quote=new version of its NeXTstep object-oriented operating system for Intel Corp hardware will support Insignia Solutions Ltd’s SoftPC with Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS 5.0 pre-installed.… users will be able to use legacy Microsoft Corp MS-DOS and Windows applications these will run as separate tasks in their own right and sit in a separate window. Customers will be able to cut and paste between the two environments.}}</ref>
|-
||3.3
||February 1995
||CD-ROM
|m68k, i386, SPARC, PA-RISC
||Support for the [[PA-RISC]] and [[SPARC]] architectures added, introducing Quad-fat Binaries. Last and most popular version released under the name NEXTSTEP. Referred to as NEXTSTEP/m68k, NEXTSTEP/Intel, NEXTSTEP/SPARC. NEXTSTEP/PA-RISC
Delivered on 2 CDs: NeXTSTEP [[complex instruction set computing|CISC]] and NeXTSTEP [[reduced instruction set computing|RISC]]. The Developer CD includes libraries for all [[computer architecture|architectures]], so that programs can be [[cross compiler|cross-compiled]] on any architecture for all architectures.
|-
||4.0 beta
|| 1996
|| CD-ROM
|m68k, i386, SPARC, PA-RISC
||Very different user interface.<ref name="jjuNf">{{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyxByfhT1F0| title = NextStep 4 Beta demo video, part 1| website = [[YouTube]]| date = February 25, 2010}}</ref><ref name="bbXWx">{{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrC1rPY1PkI| title = NextStep 4 Beta demo video, part 2| website = [[YouTube]]| date = February 26, 2010}}</ref> Notable as being a precursor of many ideas later introduced in the [[Dock (macOS)|macOS Dock]].

Allegedly dropped due to complaints of having to re-teach users but not for technical reasons (the new UI worked well in the beta).
|-
||4.0
||July 1996
||CD-ROM
|m68k, i386, SPARC
||Support for the [[PA-RISC]] architecture dropped. Support for [[m68k]], [[i486]], and [[SPARC]] architectures. Initial Release of [[OpenStep]] for [[Windows]].
|-
||4.1
||January 1997
||CD-ROM
|m68k, i386, SPARC
||Support for m68k, i486, and SPARC architectures, and OpenStep for Windows, under OPENSTEP Enterprise (NT only).
|-
||4.2 Pre-release 2
||September 1997
||CD-ROM
|m68k, i386, SPARC
||Pre-release 2 circulated to limited number of developers before [[OpenStep]] and Apple acquisition.
|-
|[[Rhapsody (operating system)|Rhapsody]]
||August 31, 1997{{dash}}October 27, 2000
||CD-ROM
|i386, PowerPC
|4.4BSD
||Released after the [[NeXT#1996–2006: Acquisition by Apple|Apple acquisition]], these are arguably closer to NeXTSTEP and OPENSTEP than to [[Mac OS X]]. For example, they can still be used as remote display via NXHost.<ref name="AIhBb">{{cite web| url = https://www.stone.com/Run_NeXTSTEP_Now/Andrew_s_Guide_to_Running_NeXSTEP_on_MACOSXS.html| title = Andrew's Simple Guide to running NeXTSTEP/OpenStep Apps on Mac OS X Server}}</ref>
|}

Versions up to 4.1 are general releases. OPENSTEP 4.2 pre-release 2 is a bug-fix release published by Apple and supported for five years after its September 1997 release.

==See also==
* [[Bundle (macOS)]], from NeXTSTEP to macOS
* [[Miller columns]], the method of directory browsing that NeXTSTEP's File Viewer uses
* [[NeXT character set]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://openstep.bfx.re/ NeXTSTEP Installation Guide]
* [http://www.nextcomputers.org NeXTComputers.org]
* {{YouTube|j02b8Fuz73A|Video of Steve Jobs Demoing NeXTSTEP Release 3}}
* [https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1989-03/1989_03_BYTE_14-03_Mac_Supplement_286_vs_386sx_Object_Oriented_Programming#page/n343/mode/2up The Next Step] BYTE Magazine 14–03, Object Oriented Programming with NextStep

{{NeXT Computer}}
{{unix-like}}
{{Apple Inc. operating systems}}
{{Darwin derivations}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nextstep}}
[[Category:1989 software]]
[[Category:Berkeley Software Distribution]]
[[Category:Discontinued operating systems]]
[[Category:Mach (kernel)]]
[[Category:NeXT]]
[[Category:Object-oriented operating systems]]
[[Category:Unix variants]]
[[Category:Window-based operating systems]]
[[Category:X86 operating systems]]