Declare on your main init that all other init methods should call. It's a nice additional semantic warning. Works with Xcode 5.1 and above. Not tested with earlier variants, but should just be ignored. A reference to this macro shortly appeared in https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/releasenotes/ObjectiveC/ModernizationObjC/AdoptingModernObj…

Macros.h

#ifndef NS_DESIGNATED_INITIALIZER
#if __has_attribute(objc_designated_initializer)
#define NS_DESIGNATED_INITIALIZER __attribute((objc_designated_initializer))
#else
#define NS_DESIGNATED_INITIALIZER
#endif
#endif

This attribute is problematic in UIViewController subclasses. If you introduce your own init method and mark it as __attribute((objc_designated_initializer)), you'll get compiler warnings even if you do call the designated initializer of the superclass from it (i.e. [super initWithNibName:bundle:] ), since -[UIViewController initWithNibName:bundle:] is documented as designated initializer but not marked as such with this attribute.

@lukabernardi unavailable produces a compiler error that prevents accidental misbehavior. Intentional wrongdoers will be able to skip any other check you add.

@nzhuk This is so stupid :( And when you use the unavailable attribute, you can't redefine that method in the subclass in order to make it available again >__< .. Need.. Swift.. Now.