Platypus is a developer tool that creates native Mac applications from interpreted scripts such as shell scripts or Perl and Python programs. This is done by wrapping the script in an application bundle directory structure along with an application binary that runs the script.

Platypus makes it easy to share scripts and programs with those unfamiliar with the command line interface. Native user-friendly applications can be created with a few clicks. It is very easy to create installers, administrative applications, login items, status menu items, launchers, automations and droplets using Platypus.

• Download Platypus 5.2 (Intel 64-bit, 10.7 or later, ~3.5 MB)

• Platypus Documentation
• Platypus Website
• Version History
• Platypus Developer Mailing List
• AppCast XML Feed
• man platypus

Platypus lets you select one of several different user interfaces for your script.

Platypus is very old software, dating back to the early days of Mac OS X, circa 2003. It was originally written in C using the Carbon APIs, but later transitioned to Cocoa during the time I was learning to use Objective-C and the Cocoa APIs. I made many beginner mistakes, some of which remain in the code. This software has since gone through about four dozen significant versions. It has been patched, bugfixed, streamlined to include new features and was recently transitioned over to modern Objective C. It's not how I would write it today.

With these caveats in mind, here is the BSD-licensed source code to Platypus.

Copyright (c) Sveinbjorn Thordarson <[email protected]> All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Hexley DarwinOS Mascot Copyright (c) 2000 Jon Hooper. All Rights Reserved.