Platypus
Platypus is a developer tool for the Mac OS X operating system. It can be used to create native, flawlessly integrated Mac OS X applications from interpreted scripts such as shell scripts or Perl and Python programs. This is done by wrapping the script in an application bundle directory structure along with an executable binary that runs the script. Platypus thus makes it possible for you to share your scripts and programs with those unfamiliar with the command line interface, without any knowledge of the Mac OS X APIs -- a few clicks and you will have your own Mac OS X graphical program. Creating installers, maintenance applications, login items, launchers, automations and droplets is very easy using Platypus.
- Supports shell scripts, Perl, Python, PHP, Ruby, Expect, Tcl, AppleScript
- Supports arbitrary interpreter specification
- Executing scripts with root privileges via Apple's Security Framework
- Drag and drop files, which are passed to the script as arguments
- Graphical feedback of script execution: progress bar, text window with script output, WebKit HTML rendering
- Can create applications which run in the background
- Sophisticated app bundle configuration for associated file types, identifier, version etc.
- Graphical interface for bundling support files with script
- Built-in script editor, or linking with external editor of choice
- Set own application icon or select from presets
- Command line tool for automating script application bundling
- Application profile specification
Platypus is free, open-source software and is distributed under the terms and conditions of the Free Software Foundation's GNU General Public License. Platypus is written in Objective C for the Cocoa application programming interfaces.
Download
| Please keep in mind that continued Platypus development depends on your support. Click here to make a donation to support Platypus development. |
The latest version is Platypus 4.0. Platypus and Platypus-generated applications require Mac OS X 10.4 or later, and are Universal Binaries, compatible with both Intel x86 and PowerPC processors. For versions that run on previous incarnations of Mac OS X, press the "Old Versions" link below.
Downloads: Application | Source | Old Versions
Links
Documentation |
man page | Version Log
Development
For help with development, you can subscribe Platypus Developer Mailing List and send in your query, or maybe give the documentation a once-over again. If you like Platypus, you may also be interested in a similar application of mine, Tapir, which allows you to easily make global Mac OS X menu items based on shell commands and scripts.
Reviews
This is excellent, and works as advertised. Nothing could be simpler than dropping a script on the platypus, then saving a WORKING APPLICATION to your Desktop. This means that Login Items can start up a script as though it were a normal application, without spewing ugly Terminal windows all over the desktop when you try to launch a KludgeScript.command ! Of course, it also means MANY, MANY other things, but those can be left as exercise for the imagination... ;-) Platypus should have been on board with the first non-beta OS X, in my opinion.*****- dcoshel
Holy crap this is an amazing update! Now with the command line tool I'm able to automate my entire build process! With just one command in the Terminal I can build, modify, package, and publish my apps within seconds. Thank you thank you thank you!
*****- Aaron Madlon-Kay
Not only is this a great idea and a great implementation, but when I had a problem, the developer responded immediately and fixed it! If you write scripts, you must have Platypus
*****- dsect
I know nothing about coding. I had a script that I used to run from the Applescript environment whenever required. I opened it in Platypus saved it as standalone drop-able item and i now have a one click solution. Never read any documentation because I never had to....It just worked.
****- simty09
I really like Platypus, which has secured a permanent corner in my toolbox. And it keeps getting better. Whether it supports AppleScript or not is irrelevant to me, since I can always call osascript -l AppleScript -e command from any shell script. Although I'm familiar with older versions of Perl and Ruby, I seem to do most of my scripting in Bash. Wrapped in Platypus, which is now so good it almost requires a user's manual, my efforts join the contents of my /Applications folder without a blush (along with Gimp.app!)
****- grikdog
This app is really great, user-friendly and feature-rich. What I like most: It supports start by dropping file(s) on the generated program. Just imagine what you could do now with your X11 applications - or even with MacDoomLegacy (drop some PWADs on a script that writes "addfile" lines into the config file, and enjoy) !
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This app supports AppleScript. Even, you can build apps that do not generate "connection" errors, such as the ones from Apple's AppleScript Editor. I have been searching a solution to this problem for long: I found Platypus. Very cool little app, coming with samples and tutorials. I didnt test all the script features, just AppleScript, but anyway I give 5 stars.
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Platypus has been great for deploying things with netOctopus. The only feature I wanted was the ability to run without showing in the Dock and that is now here. Thanks for a great program.
*****- Rob Morton
Congratulations and thank you for this amazing, rich (supporting so many languages) and so easy to use (3 clics and my app is done...) script wrapper under Mac OS X.
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