Is there a scripting SDK that I can use to write scripts for Photoshop CC?

[J Isner]

I have been reading Adobe documentation on scripting, and I am ready to start writing scripts for Photoshop CC.  I know Photoshop well and I have experience programming web applications in JavaScript.  I have spent the last hour looking for somewhere to download a SDK.  If it exists, Adobe has hidden it very well indeed!  Where can I find it? 

[Stephen Marsh]

Scripting docs here:

https://www.adobe.com/devnet/photoshop/scripting.html

SDK docs here:

https://www.adobe.io/apis/creativecloud/photoshop.htmlAdobe

https://www.adobe.com/devnet/photoshop/sdk.html

[J Isner]

Thanks.  There's no shortage of documentation.  I have seen and read it all.  Where can I download the ExtendScript Toolkit itself?  The one that is described here?  I need the software, not the documenation.

[Stephen Marsh]

You don't "need" special software, it just helps. JavaScript does not need to be "compiled".

ExtendScript/JavaScript can be written in a plain text editor and saved with a .jsx extension rather than .txt – however, some editors are more capable than others when it comes to various scripting languages. For example, there are packages for Atom that can make the job easier.

There is even a webpage app to help write these scripts:

https://ovid-editor.web.app/PHXS

https://ovid-editor.web.app/

The Adobe ExtendScript Toolkit is depreciated software that should be available via your Creative Cloud installer app.

Otherwise, have you tried a web search?

Adobe have moved on from ESTK and now provide a debugger extension for MS Visual Studio Code program:

https://code.visualstudio.com/download

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Adobe.extendscript-debug

https://medium.com/adobetech/extendscript-debugger-1-1-0-released-5f2e1a068e89

https://medium.com/adobetech/extendscript-debugger-for-visual-studio-code-public-release-a2ff6161fa0...

There are a few things that I miss from the old ESTK app, most notably the Object Model Viewer (I now just use the PDF or an online DOM reference) – however, I have now stopped using the ESTK as I find that I am generally more productive in a modern editor.

[JJMack]

try https://www.adobe.com/devnet/scripting/estk.html 

It is not required I only use it F1 viewer to look at what is in Adobe Photoshop DOM Objects.

open-source-extendscript-toolkit-estk 

Its being replaced

vscode 

I've slow down some becoming a senior slow to learn new tricks is me. I just use notepad++ and may alerts......

[Stephen Marsh]

A CC version link is here, for what it is worth:

https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/extendscript-toolkit.htmlESTK

You may need to turn on the setting for "show older apps" in the CC desktop app.

[JJMack]

If you install it,. Extendscript CC Toolkit will be shown in the creative cloud desktop application the only option the creative cloud desktop application has for it is uninstall

 I seems to have 3 versions installed on my workstation.