/hone

JXA — JavaScript for Automation

JXA (introduced OS X Yosemite, 2014) is the official JavaScript binding for the Open Scripting Architecture. It sits on the same Apple Events foundation as AppleScript — an alternative, not a replacement, and not "near-native" (it cannot do arbitrary Cocoa/C without ObjC bridging caveats).

When to prefer JXA over AppleScript

Idioms

// Get an app reference
const Safari = Application("Safari");
const url = Safari.windows[0].currentTab.url();

// Standard Additions (notifications, dialogs, shell)
const app = Application.currentApplication();
app.includeStandardAdditions = true;
app.displayNotification("Done", { withTitle: "Builder" });
app.doShellScript("echo hi");

// System Events (UI scripting / processes)
const se = Application("System Events");
const procs = se.processes.name();

// Iterate Finder selection
const Finder = Application("Finder");
const sel = Finder.selection();
sel.forEach(item => console.log(item.name()));

Key differences from browser/Node JS:

• App methods are function calls: win.currentTab.url() not win.currentTab.url.
• Application("X") is lazy — no Apple Event sent until you call a property/method.
• Use ObjC.import('Foundation') for Cocoa bridging, but keep it minimal — this is where "JXA can do anything native" claims overreach.

Converting AppleScript ↔ JXA (behavior-preserving)

tell application "Safari" to set u to URL of front document

↔

const u = Application("Safari").windows[0].currentTab.url();

Conversion rules:

1. tell application "X" … end tell → const X = Application("X") then method calls.
2. Property reads become calls: name of x → x.name().
3. make new T at container with properties {…} → container.T({...}).make() (root objects) or app.make({new: 'T', withProperties: {…}, at: container}). The .push()-into-collection shorthand works for some apps (Notes, Reminders) but is not the general rule — it breaks for Mail/Calendar; prefer .make().
4. StandardAdditions verbs (display dialog, do shell script) require includeStandardAdditions = true.
5. Flag any term with no clean equivalent rather than silently dropping behavior.