JavaScript for Automation (JXA) Resources

JXA Resources.md

JXA Resources

Revised: 2017-06-24 11:21 PM CT

NOTICE:

This page has been transferred to JXA Resources in the JXA Wiki of group.io. All further updates will be made there, and this GitHub Gist page will eventually be removed.

This is a list of the key resources I have found useful. If you know of others, please post in a comment below, and I will add to this list.

I have tried to order this list in the order that, to me, is best for learning JXA from scratch. We all learn a bit diferently, so adjust to suit your style/needs. Please post if you have suggestions on learning JXA.

• I like starting with the videos in the Introduction.
• You won't be able to understand or remember everything the first time through, but it should help to give you the big picture, and maybe a few concepts.
• After you have read some of the other references, and played around with JXA for a while, you may find it worthwhile to view the video's again -- I picked up a lot more my second viewing.
• The same thing goes for the Apple Release Notes. These will be much more meaningful the 2nd or 3rd time you read them (at least it was for me)
• I am still learning JXA, just like you. So please feel free to post any suggestions/corrections that you may have.

Important Requirements

• You must be running at least macOS Yosemite (10.10.3) to use JXA
• It is best to be running macOS El Capitan (10.11.6) or later, since a number of JXA bug fixes and enhancements were made.

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Introduction

1. Video -- JXA Introduction by Sal Soghoian, post 2014 WWDC (~25 min), 2014-10-11
2. Video -- 2014 WWDC session video on JXA. (can view ONLY in Safari), (~53 min), 2014-06-02

Official Apple Reference

1. Mac Automation Scripting Guide -- AppleScript & JXA, 2016-06-13
2. JXA Release Notes in Yosemite 10.10, 2014-10-17
3. JXA Release Notes in El Capitan 10.11, 2015-09-16
4. AppleScript Language Guide
   • Although this guide provides examples in AppleScript, almost all of the concepts and commands also apply to JXA.
   • Use this guide as needed to obtain more insight into Mac automation via scripting
5. Scripting Reference Forms
   • This is one section of the guide that applies fully to both AppleScript and JXA, just a difference in syntax.

Debugging

1. Debugging JXA with the Safari Web Inspector, 2015-09-16, OS X 10.11 Release Notes
2. Video -- How to Debug JXA Scripts with Safari Debugger, 2016-06-20, YouTube Video by JMichaelTX.
3. Debugging JXA Scripts with Safari Debugger, 2016-06-20, by JMichaelTX

Getting Started

1. JXA: Getting Started with Javascript for Automation, 2014-12-02, by Alex Guyot at macstories.net.
2. Extensibility and Automation Changes in OS X Yosemite, 2014-10-17, by Alex Guyot at macstories.net.
3. A Beginners Guide to JXA (with Alfred examples), 2016-10-10, by Richard Guay at tutsplus.com.
4. How to Install AppleScripts or JXA Scripts, 2016-02-13, by JMichaelTX.

Third Party Reference

1. JXA Cookbook Wiki, Started 2014-10-28, by Thai Pangsakulyanont (dtinth) and others.

Using JXA with Objective-C and Cocoa

1. Objective-C Bridging with AppleScript & JXA, 2016-03-21
2. Using Objective-C with JXA (JXAObjC), 2015-09-16
3. Using Objective C (ObjC) with JXA (JXA Cookbook), 2017-06-24

User Forums with Topics on JXA

1. Keyboard Maestro Topics Tagged with JXA
2. Stackoverflow.com Questions Tagged with JXA
3. Stackoverflow.com Questions Tagged with javascript-automation

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JavaScript Resources

Although the focus here is JXA, clearly a good knowledge of the core JavaScript is essential. So here's my list:

1. JavaScript Ref Guide, Tutorials, & Documentation -- Mozilla
2. Douglas Crockford's Javascript Web Site
3. JavaScript: The Good Parts -- by Douglas Crockford (Kindle Edition)
4. A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript -- by Mark Myers (Kindle Edition)