JavaScript for OS X Automation

Not only does Apple provide an API for interacting with the operating system and install apps, but they also provide an Objective-C bridge to work directly with native libraries such as Cocoa. This is HUGE.

That’s why the fact that Apple is now offering JavaScript for task automation is so compelling. It’s not that developers have been dying to write more task automations, it’s that we have all long been searching for a universal language for building applications. The fragmentation in mobile has agitated this to nearly a tipping point. Nobody wants to install different IDEs, learn different SDKs, and maintain separate code bases. It’s simply not sustainable. Cross-compilation is appealing for this reason, but results in enormously bloated apps and a level of complexity between the developer and the operating system that they cannot control. If there is one thing developers hate, it’s a black box.

I totally missed this announcement but indeed it’s very exciting and could be a huge step for bringing web developers into true app development. Hopefully, it gets integrated beyond just Automator.