AppleScript is Apple's powerful and versatile native scripting technology for Mac OS X. With AppleScript, you can control, and communicate among, applications, databases, networks, Web services, and even the operating system itself. You can make your Macintosh applications scriptable so that users can write scripts to automate operations they would rather not do manually, from simple tasks to complex workflows involving multiple applications. AppleScript Studio enables you to build individual scripts and workflows into rich, functional Aqua-compliant applications, and is useful for rapid prototyping, automated testing, and other kinds of development. By taking advantage of the AppleScript support integrated throughout Mac OS X you empower your users to be creative in solving problems on their own, and you don't have to build a separate solution in anticipation of their every need.

AppleScript gains much of its power by leveraging the abilities of other applications. A Cocoa application, for example, defines its scriptability by exposing methods and properties through an XML dictionary. This provides access to your application's functionality via AppleScript messages. One good use of that access would be to write automated tests against your application.

An AppleScript message is also known as an Apple Event, a type of high-level message used to send commands and data between processes. Apple Events form the basis for communication between scripts and applications, both locally and over a network. If you need to exchange information in a distributed environment, AppleScript works with the Apple Event Manager to provide XML-RPC and SOAP support in scripts and applications.

Mac OS X includes many applications with scriptable functionality. AppleScript scripts can take advantage of high-level application features such as sending messages from Mail or iChat, playing music in iTunes, or editing an iPhoto picture collection. Scripts can also use lower-level utility features such as image manipulation via Image Events, simple database storage using Database Events, and XML and property list editing using System Events.

AppleScript Studio is an integrated development environment for creating powerful, Aqua-compliant Mac OS X applications that use AppleScript scripts to control complex user interfaces. This makes AppleScript Studio a useful tool for system administrators or others who need to quickly automate a process while providing a complete user interface for system and application scripts, command-line utilities, and Web applications. AppleScript Studio applications are Cocoa applications with additional capabilities provided by the AppleScriptKit framework. You can write AppleScript Studio applications using just AppleScript or in combination with other languages. As part of the free Xcode suite of development tools, AppleScript Studio takes advantage of other technologies, including AppleScript, Cocoa, Xcode, and Interface Builder, to support user interface items such as windows, buttons, text fields, tabs, tables, and progress bars.

AppleScript is one of the languages you can use to write Automator actions. The Automator application is a key component of automation technology on Mac OS X. With its graphical user interface, Automator helps users and developers—with or without previous scripting experience—automate repetitive tasks.

Thousands of developers have increased the popularity and usefulness of their applications by adding AppleScript support to their products, and with AppleScript Studio it's never been easier. With a majority of Apple's top-tier customers using AppleScript to automate their workflow processes, its value as an automation technology is tremendous.

If you are ready to begin learning about the APIs and tools available for AppleScript, go to Getting Started with AppleScript, for a guided introduction and learning path.

For news, updates and links to other ADC content related to AppleScript, return to the AppleScript topic page.

Posted: 2007-11-06