self.variable and variable difference [duplicate]

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It’s important to note that dot-syntax is converted to a simple objc_msgSend call by the compiler: that is to say that underneath it acts exactly like a message send to the accessor for that variable. As such, all three of the following are equivalent:

self.myVariable = obj;

[self setMyVariable:obj];

objc_msgSend(self, @selector(setMyVariable:), obj);

Of course, this means that using dot-syntax actually results in a full message send, meaning calling a new function and all the overhead that is associated with it. In contrast, using simple assignment (myVariable = obj;) incurs none of this overhead, but of course it can only be used within the instance methods of the class in question.

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