How do I install the Osascript Launchd skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add damionrashford/osascript-launchd in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Osascript Launchd safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Osascript Launchd?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Osascript Launchd free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Osascript Launchd?

damionrashford (@damionrashford) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Osascript Launchd by damionrashford

Name: Osascript Launchd
Author: damionrashford

Osascript Launchd

Create and manage macOS LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons. Use when setting up background automation, scheduled tasks, file watchers (WatchPaths), interval polling, or persistent daemons that survive logout or reboot.

damionrashford f25b53b 4 files · 8.9 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

osascript-launchd

LaunchAgents (per-user, GUI access) and LaunchDaemons (root, system-wide, survives logout). All scripts are pure Python using stdlib only.

LaunchAgent vs LaunchDaemon

	LaunchAgent	LaunchDaemon
Runs as	Logged-in user	root
Starts when	User logs in	System boot
Lives in	`~/Library/LaunchAgents`	`/Library/LaunchDaemons`
GUI access	Yes	No
TCC restrictions	Yes	No — full system access

Use LaunchAgent for automation that needs your session (osascript, screen, Chrome). Use LaunchDaemon for always-on background work that needs root or full disk access.

Trigger Types

Trigger	Key	Use case
On load/login	`RunAtLoad: true`	Start immediately
Keep alive	`KeepAlive: true`	Restart on any exit (even kill -9)
Interval	`StartInterval: N`	Every N seconds
Calendar	`StartCalendarInterval`	Cron replacement (catches up after sleep)
File change	`WatchPaths`	Instant trigger on file/dir change (no polling)
New files	`QueueDirectories`	Job queue — fires when files appear

Scripts

Generate a LaunchAgent plist from parameters:

uv run scripts/generate-plist.py com.user.myjob "/usr/bin/python3 /path/to/script.py" --interval 60

Write plist to ~/Library/LaunchAgents and load it immediately:

uv run scripts/install-agent.py com.user.myjob "/usr/bin/python3 /path/to/script.py" --interval 60

Load, unload, start, stop, or check status of a LaunchAgent:

uv run scripts/launchctl.py status com.user.myjob
uv run scripts/launchctl.py load com.user.myjob
uv run scripts/launchctl.py stop com.user.myjob

Reference

reference/07-launchdaemons.md — Full plist anatomy, all trigger types, resource controls, launchctl commands

Key Pattern: WatchPaths for iMessage Bot

<key>WatchPaths</key>
<array>
    <string>/Users/you/Library/Messages/chat.db</string>
</array>

Fires instantly when chat.db changes. No polling. Daemon reads new message, Claude processes, osascript sends reply.

---name: osascript-launchddescription: Create and manage macOS LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons. Use when setting up background automation, scheduled tasks, file watchers (WatchPaths), interval polling, or persistent daemons that survive logout or reboot.---# osascript-launchdLaunchAgents (per-user, GUI access) and LaunchDaemons (root, system-wide, survives logout).All scripts are pure Python using stdlib only.## LaunchAgent vs LaunchDaemon| | LaunchAgent | LaunchDaemon ||---|---|---|| Runs as | Logged-in user | root || Starts when | User logs in | System boot || Lives in | `~/Library/LaunchAgents` | `/Library/LaunchDaemons` || GUI access | Yes | No || TCC restrictions | Yes | No — full system access |**Use LaunchAgent** for automation that needs your session (osascript, screen, Chrome).**Use LaunchDaemon** for always-on background work that needs root or full disk access.## Trigger Types| Trigger | Key | Use case ||---------|-----|----------|| On load/login | `RunAtLoad: true` | Start immediately || Keep alive | `KeepAlive: true` | Restart on any exit (even kill -9) || Interval | `StartInterval: N` | Every N seconds || Calendar | `StartCalendarInterval` | Cron replacement (catches up after sleep) || File change | `WatchPaths` | Instant trigger on file/dir change (no polling) || New files | `QueueDirectories` | Job queue — fires when files appear |## ScriptsGenerate a LaunchAgent plist from parameters:```bashuv run scripts/generate-plist.py com.user.myjob "/usr/bin/python3 /path/to/script.py" --interval 60```Write plist to `~/Library/LaunchAgents` and load it immediately:```bashuv run scripts/install-agent.py com.user.myjob "/usr/bin/python3 /path/to/script.py" --interval 60```Load, unload, start, stop, or check status of a LaunchAgent:```bashuv run scripts/launchctl.py status com.user.myjobuv run scripts/launchctl.py load com.user.myjobuv run scripts/launchctl.py stop com.user.myjob```## Reference- [reference/07-launchdaemons.md](reference/07-launchdaemons.md) — Full plist anatomy, all trigger types, resource controls, launchctl commands## Key Pattern: WatchPaths for iMessage Bot```xml<key>WatchPaths</key><array> <string>/Users/you/Library/Messages/chat.db</string></array>```Fires instantly when chat.db changes. No polling. Daemon reads new message, Claude processes, osascript sends reply.

Frequently asked questions