sdefq

Query macOS AppleScript dictionaries (SDEF) from the command line or Python.

Built on the system /usr/bin/sdef tool. No external dependencies — Python 3.9+ stdlib only.

Install

CLI via Homebrew

brew tap benlenarts/tap
brew install sdefq

Or run directly from the repo with bin/sdefq or python3 -m sdef.

Claude Code plugin

Teaches Claude how to query AppleScript dictionaries when writing automation scripts. No separate CLI installation needed — the plugin is self-contained.

claude plugin install --plugin-dir /path/to/sdefq

CLI Usage

# List all scriptable apps
sdefq --list

# App index — suites with command/class/enum counts
sdefq Safari
sdefq /Applications/Safari.app/

# Suite detail — all commands, classes, enums
sdefq Safari "Safari suite"

# Command detail — parameters, types, return value
sdefq Safari command "do JavaScript"

# Class detail — properties, elements, responds-to
sdefq Safari class tab

# Enumeration — all values
sdefq Keynote enum "export format"

# Search across an app's entire dictionary
sdefq Safari --search JavaScript

Python API

import sdef

# Load an app's dictionary
d = sdef.load("Safari")

# Browse suites
for suite in d.suites:
    print(suite.name, len(suite.commands), "commands")

# Look up specific items — returns (object, suite_name) tuples
cmd, suite = d.find_command("do JavaScript")
cls, suite = d.find_class("tab")
enum, suite = d.find_enumeration("export format")

# Search
results = d.search("JavaScript")

# List scriptable apps
apps = sdef.list_apps()  # [(name, path), ...]

Models

• Dictionary — top level, contains suites
• Suite — contains commands, classes, enumerations
• Command — name, parameters, return type
• Class — properties, elements, responds-to, inheritance
• Enumeration — list of named values
• Property, Element, Parameter, EnumValue — leaf types