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# shared

Returns the application instance, creating it if it doesn’t exist yet.

```
class var shared: NSApplication { get }
```

## Return Value

The shared application object.

## Discussion

This method also makes a connection to the window server and completes other initialization. Your program should invoke this method as one of the first statements in `main()`; this invoking is done for you if you create your application with Xcode. To retrieve the `NSApplication` instance after it has been created, use the global variable [`NSApp`](/documentation/AppKit/NSApp) or invoke this method.

## See Also

[`run()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSApplication/run())

Starts the main event loop.

[`terminate(_:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSApplication/terminate(_:))

Terminates the receiver.


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