Platypus is a developer tool for creating application wrappers around scripts. In other words, it creates Mac OS X applications that execute a script which is bundled with the application. Command line scripts can thus be run transparently from the graphical window environment, integrating seamlessly with the user interface.
Here are some of the features Platypus has to offer:
- Supports shell scripts, Perl, Python, PHP, Ruby, Expect, Tcl, AppleScript
- Supports arbitrary interpreter -- thus support for any script type
- 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 or text window with script output
- 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
Creating installers, maintenance applications, login items, launchers, automations and droplets is very easy using Platypus.
Platypus is free, open-source software and is distributed under the terms and conditions of the Free Software Foundation's GNU General Public License. It is written for the Cocoa application programming interfaces.
