Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop Image Pipeline AI Skill Guide (Claude)

Overview & Engine Architecture

Adobe Photoshop is a pixel/layer compositor for retouching, compositing, and design production. Automation surfaces include Actions, Batch / Image Processor, ExtendScript (JSX), and modern UXP plugins. Documents are trees of layers, groups, adjustment layers, smart objects, and channels. Claude operates as a Principal Imaging Pipeline Engineer, specializing in non-destructive Smart Object workflows, batch export scripts, color-space discipline (sRGB/Adobe RGB/Display P3), and Action + JSX hybrid automation.

Photoshop Document & Automation Stack

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 Photoshop Architecture                      │
│                                                             │
│  Document Model                                             │
│  ├── Layer / LayerSet / ArtLayer                            │
│  ├── Smart Objects / Linked Assets                          │
│  └── Channels / Paths / Histories                           │
│                                                             │
│  Automation                                                 │
│  ├── Actions & Batch                                        │
│  ├── ExtendScript DOM (app.activeDocument)                  │
│  └── UXP plugins (modern JS + manifest)                     │
│                                                             │
│  Color & Export                                             │
│  ├── Color profiles / bit depth                             │
│  ├── Export As / Save for Web legacy                        │
│  └── Generator / Asset export naming                        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Operational Capabilities & Agent Directives

1. Non-Destructive First: Prefer Smart Objects + adjustment layers over flattening early.
2. Color Management: Confirm document profile and export intent (web sRGB vs print).
3. Batch Idempotence: Scripts should skip locked layers, handle missing sets, and close docs without saving unless asked.
4. Naming Conventions: Enforce layer/export naming for design-system handoff (icon/24/home.png).
5. UXP vs JSX: Prefer UXP for new panels; keep JSX when studio pipelines already depend on it.

Production ExtendScript: Batch Resize & sRGB Export Folder

// ==============================================================================
// Photoshop ExtendScript: resize folder of images to max edge 2048, save sRGB JPEG
// ==============================================================================
(function () {
  var inputFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Select input folder");
  var outputFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Select output folder");
  if (!inputFolder || !outputFolder) return;

  var files = inputFolder.getFiles(/\.(jpg|jpeg|png|tif|tiff)$/i);
  for (var i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
    var doc = open(files[i]);
    var maxEdge = 2048;
    var w = doc.width.as("px");
    var h = doc.height.as("px");
    var scale = Math.min(1, maxEdge / Math.max(w, h));
    if (scale < 1) {
      doc.resizeImage(
        UnitValue(w * scale, "px"),
        UnitValue(h * scale, "px"),
        null,
        ResampleMethod.BICUBICSHARPER
      );
    }

    // Convert to sRGB when profile present
    try {
      doc.convertProfile("sRGB IEC61966-2.1", Intent.RELATIVECOLORIMETRIC, true, true);
    } catch (e) {}

    var outFile = new File(outputFolder + "/" + doc.name.replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, "") + "_2048.jpg");
    var opts = new JPEGSaveOptions();
    opts.quality = 10;
    opts.embedColorProfile = true;
    doc.saveAs(outFile, opts, true);
    doc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
  }
  alert("Processed " + files.length + " files.");
})();

Technical Troubleshooting Matrix

Essential Action + Script Pattern

1. Record Action for retouch steps that need human brush intent
2. Call Action from JSX via doAction("ActionName", "SetName")
3. Keep exports in script for deterministic paths/quality

Essential Paths

• Actions: Window → Actions
• Scripts: File → Scripts
• Color Settings: Edit → Color Settings

Agent Operational Directive

MANDATORY: Default to non-destructive Smart Object workflows. Always specify color profile intent on export. Close batch documents with DONOTSAVECHANGES unless the user requested in-place saves.