Scripting App Development

Scripting App Development

Use this skill to help users create, change, debug, or validate Scripting App script projects. It is a technical development guide; it does not prescribe task planning, spec files, Git workflow, or a generic coding-agent process.

Scope and routing

Use this skill for a Scripting project or any of these files/capabilities:

• script.json, index.tsx, shared .ts / .tsx modules, and SwiftUI-style TSX pages.
• widget.tsx, app_intents.tsx, live_activity.tsx, notification.tsx, and intent.tsx.
• browser.tsx or a separately installed Safari .user.js script.
• Desktop-editor live sync/debugging with scripting-cli.
• Scripting-provided iOS APIs such as Notification, Calendar, Location, Photos, Storage, Speech, and Device.
• Advanced entry points: Home Screen default UI, control widgets, custom keyboard, Spotlight, Translation UI, Assistant Tools, and Alarm Live Activities.

Do not use it as a substitute for creating a standalone Apple Shortcut, ordinary Node/Python automation, or a generic web app.

Mandatory official-documentation workflow

Before writing or changing any Scripting-specific API usage, use the current environment's bundled Scripting reference/API declarations when available (for example, scripting_reference). For desktop agents without that tool, consult the official LLM documentation index:

textCopy code
https://scriptingapp.github.io/llms.txt

1. Search the bundled docs first when available; otherwise search the public index for the exact API, entry point, or capability.
2. Read the full matching documentation and exact API declarations—not only a search-result summary.
3. Verify the symbols to be used: import/global module, parameters, result type, async behavior, iOS/version availability, permissions, host constraints, and official example patterns.
4. Implement only APIs confirmed by the current documentation. Do not infer an API from Swift, React, old examples, or model memory.
5. If a connected scripting-cli workspace is available, search its app-synced .d.ts declarations to confirm exact local TypeScript signatures/imports; use them with—not instead of—the official documentation's behavior, permission, and host constraints.

Read only the necessary topic reference below. If a local reference conflicts with current official documentation, the official documentation wins.

Start work

New project

1. Identify the requested host: finite script, in-app page, resident/resumable script, Widget, Live Activity, rich notification, Intent, Safari project script, or installed userscript.
2. Create a project directory with script.json and index.tsx; use the templates only as a starting point.
3. Add capability entry files only when requested.
4. Read references/project-and-lifecycle.md, then the matching capability reference.

Existing project

1. Read script.json, index.tsx, the requested entry file, and its direct dependencies before modifying code.
2. Preserve the existing project naming, metadata, entry points, lifecycle, and user configuration unless the requested change requires otherwise.
3. Make the narrowest compatible change. Do not add unused capabilities or refactor unrelated files.

Project rules

• A project requires script.json and index.tsx.
• script.json must include name, icon, color, and version; name normally matches the directory name.
• Keep shared business logic in regular modules; entry files should adapt that logic to their host environment.
• Use async / await, handle expected failure paths, and give the user meaningful feedback.
• For standalone scripting-ts run execution, make sure finite paths call Script.exit(); otherwise the process may wait indefinitely.
• TSX modifier order affects layout and appearance. When debugging UI, inspect the order of frame, padding, background, clipShape, buttonStyle, contentMargins, and widgetBackground as well as their values.
• Avoid unbounded vertical layouts inside Grid / ScrollView; validate image-heavy layouts on an actual render.

Lifecycle decision

Read references/project-and-lifecycle.md before choosing or changing this behavior.

Capability references

Validation requirements

Read references/validation-and-security.md and use the relevant checklist, including checklists/desktop-live-debug.md when setting up scripting-cli.

• For desktop live synchronization/debugging, read references/desktop-cli.md; initialize and run scripting-cli only after checking Node.js and confirming any first-time package download/configuration effects. After App connection, consult its synced .d.ts files whenever exact local API typings or component props are needed.
• Run static diagnostics for changed TypeScript/TSX where available.
• Run finite index.tsx code with scripting-ts project "<name>" or an equivalent environment command when possible.
• Preview Widget/UI surfaces when possible; test all target Widget families if layout differs by family.
• Be explicit about host-only verification: Widget must be added to the Home Screen; Intents require Shortcuts/Share Sheet; rich notifications require a real notification; Live Activities require the Lock Screen/Dynamic Island; Safari scripts require a matching Safari page.
• Never describe compilation, preview, Widget.present(), or a mock Intent as full system-host verification.

Safety boundary

Before expanding privileges or causing external side effects, describe the impact and get the user's confirmation. This includes sensitive system permissions, reads/writes of user data, cross-origin requests/Cookies/downloads, sending or uploading data, and deleting or bulk-modifying data.

Never hard-code or expose API keys, passwords, tokens, Cookies, private keys, or private user data in source, script.json, logs, screenshots, or sample files. Apply minimum permissions and minimum data access.

Completion response

Summarize only what matters:

1. files and behavior changed;
2. lifecycle choice, if relevant;
3. official documentation topics/API symbols checked;
4. diagnostics, run, or preview evidence;
5. exact remaining manual host verification steps;
6. permissions or side effects introduced.