HN Showcase
Back to browse
GitHub Repository

MCP server that generates tools from macOS scriptable apps via OSA (AppleScript/JXA)

3 starsTypeScript

MCP server that generates macOS tools via Open Scripting Architecture

by MayCXC·Mar 31, 2026·2 points·2 comments
Visit ProjectView on HN

AI Analysis

●●●BangerZero to OneWizardrySolve My Problem

Auto-generates 700 macOS app tools from scripting dictionaries—no manual MCP tool writing needed.

Strengths
  • •Dynamic tool generation from app scripting dictionaries eliminates hardcoded app list
  • •SSH remote login support enables AI to control Mac from different machine
  • •Tool descriptions pulled from scripting dictionaries give AI semantic understanding
Weaknesses
  • •macOS-only limitation excludes Linux and Windows users entirely
  • •Relies on apps having scripting dictionaries—some modern apps lack OSA support
Target Audience

Mac users running Claude Code or other MCP clients

Similar To

Claude Computer Use · MCP servers · AppleScript automation tools

Post Description

Cf. The Claude computer use beta. Their own docs state that MCP servers are preferable to computer use [1]:

----

Claude has several ways to interact with an app or service. Computer use is the broadest and slowest, so Claude tries the most precise tool first:

- If you have an MCP server for the service, Claude uses that.

- If the task is a shell command, Claude uses Bash.

- If the task is browser work and you have Claude in Chrome set up, Claude uses that.

- If none of those apply, Claude uses computer use.

----

So osa-mcp adds an MCP server with tools for every AppleScript/JXA app it can find on the host, in order to maximize the first/best case. I've verified that it works with claude code and cowork, but it should work with any other MCP client as well. It also supports Remote Login via SSH [2].

This enables some pretty cool workflows and custom skills, e.g. "Read today's inbox in Mail and give me a summary. Check to see if I should schedule any additional meetings in Calendar, and if they conflict with the plans I made with anyone in Messages let them know. Then organize my notes for each meeting, and update their descriptions." Thus the capabilities of AppleScript are made available with natural language.

Inspiration is credited to [3] and [4] but neither exposes the entirety of OSA with MCP like this in a dynamic manner. Feedback is appreciated, I think it is pretty much an unofficial preview of the inevitable agentic Siri that will be released in a future OSX update.

[1] https://code.claude.com/docs/en/computer-use

[2] https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/allow-a-remote-comp...

[3] https://github.com/joshrutkowski/applescript-mcp

[4] https://github.com/supermemoryai/apple-mcp

Similar Projects