# InitializeOnLoadAttribute

> Allows you to initialize an Editor class when Unity loads, and when your scripts are recompiled.

## Definition

* **Type:** Class
* **Namespace:** [UnityEditor](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityeditor.md)
* **Assembly:** UnityEditor.CoreModule
* **Inherits from:** [Attribute](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute)

```csharp
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class)]
public class InitializeOnLoadAttribute : Attribute
```

## Remarks

Static constructors with this attribute are called when scripts in the project are recompiled, also known as a [Domain Reload](/engine/6000.7/manual/scripting/compilation-and-code-reload/code-reloading-editor/domain-reloading.md). This happens when:

* Unity first loads your project.
* Unity detects modifications to scripts, if **Auto Refresh** is enabled in the Asset Pipeline section of the [Preferences window](/engine/6000.7/manual/unity-editor/editor-settings-reference/preferences/asset-pipeline.md).
* Entering Play mode, if domain reload is enabled in your project's [Play Mode configuration](/engine/6000.7/manual/scripting/compilation-and-code-reload/code-reloading-editor/configurable-enter-play-mode.md).

Avoid asset operations such as asset loading in `InitializeOnLoad` methods. `InitializeOnLoad` methods are called before asset import completes, which means asset loading from this context can fail, resulting in a null object. To do initialization after a domain reload that requires asset operations, use the [AssetPostprocessor.OnPostprocessAllAssets(string\[\], string\[\], string\[\], string\[\], bool)](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityeditor/assetpostprocessor/onpostprocessallassets.md) callback. This callback supports all asset operations and has a parameter that signals if there was a domain reload.

For new code, use [OnCodeInitializingAttribute](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unity/scripting/lifecyclemanagement/oncodeinitializingattribute.md) instead for better resource pre-allocation timing. For more information, refer to [Code reload and the code lifecycle](/engine/6000.7/manual/scripting/compilation-and-code-reload/programming-code-lifecycle.md) in the manual.

Additional Resources: [InitializeOnLoadMethodAttribute](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityeditor/initializeonloadmethodattribute.md).

## Examples

```csharp
// The following code example defines a small custom class decorated with `[InitializeOnLoad]`
// and assigns a member method to the `EditorApplication.update` delegate so that it runs and begins
// printing to the console on Editor launch.


using UnityEditor;
using UnityEngine;

// InitializeOnLoad ensures this code runs on Editor launch
[InitializeOnLoad]
class MyClass
{
    // Define a static constructor in which we assign the custom Update method to the delegate
    static MyClass ()
    {
        EditorApplication.update += Update;
    }

    // Define a method with the required signature that performs work we want to do on launch
    static void Update ()
    {
        Debug.Log("Updating");
    }
}
```

## Inheritance

**Inherited Members:**

* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(MemberInfo, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(MemberInfo, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(MemberInfo)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-memberinfo\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(MemberInfo, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(MemberInfo, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-type\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(MemberInfo, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(MemberInfo, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(MemberInfo, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-memberinfo-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(ParameterInfo)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-parameterinfo\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(ParameterInfo, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(ParameterInfo, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(ParameterInfo, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(ParameterInfo, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-type\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(ParameterInfo, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(ParameterInfo, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(ParameterInfo, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-parameterinfo-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Module, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-module-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Module)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-module\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Module, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-module-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Module, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-module-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(Module, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-module-system-type\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(Module, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-module-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(Module, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-module-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(Module, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-module-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Assembly, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-assembly-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Assembly, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-assembly-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Assembly)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-assembly\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(Assembly, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattributes#system-attribute-getcustomattributes\(system-reflection-assembly-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(Assembly, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-assembly-system-type\))
* [Attribute.IsDefined(Assembly, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefined#system-attribute-isdefined\(system-reflection-assembly-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(Assembly, Type)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-assembly-system-type\))
* [Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(Assembly, Type, bool)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.getcustomattribute#system-attribute-getcustomattribute\(system-reflection-assembly-system-type-system-boolean\))
* [Attribute.Equals(Object)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.equals)
* [Attribute.GetHashCode()](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.gethashcode)
* [Attribute.Match(Object)](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.match)
* [Attribute.IsDefaultAttribute()](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.isdefaultattribute)
* [Attribute.TypeId()](https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.attribute.typeid)