Agent skill
apple-notes-hello-world
Create, read, and list Apple Notes using JXA and AppleScript. Use when learning Notes automation, creating your first automated note, or testing read/write access to Apple Notes from scripts. Trigger: "apple notes hello world", "create apple note", "read apple notes", "apple notes example", "osascript notes".
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/tree/main/plugins/saas-packs/apple-notes-pack/skills/apple-notes-hello-world
SKILL.md
Apple Notes Hello World
Overview
Create, read, search, and delete Apple Notes using JXA (JavaScript for Automation) via osascript. All examples work from the command line on macOS.
Prerequisites
- Completed
apple-notes-install-auth(permissions granted) - macOS with Notes.app
Instructions
Step 1: Create a Note
# JXA: Create a note in the default folder
osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const Notes = Application("Notes");
const defaultFolder = Notes.defaultAccount.folders[0];
const newNote = Notes.Note({
name: "Hello from Automation",
body: "<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This note was created via JXA at " + new Date().toISOString() + "</p>"
});
defaultFolder.notes.push(newNote);
newNote.id();
'
# AppleScript equivalent:
osascript -e '
tell application "Notes"
tell account "iCloud"
make new note at folder "Notes" with properties {name:"Hello AppleScript", body:"<p>Created via AppleScript</p>"}
end tell
end tell
'
Step 2: List All Notes
# List notes with title and creation date
osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const Notes = Application("Notes");
const notes = Notes.defaultAccount.notes();
notes.slice(0, 10).map(n =>
`${n.name()} | Created: ${n.creationDate().toISOString().split("T")[0]}`
).join("\n");
'
Step 3: Read a Note's Content
# Read note body (returns HTML)
osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const Notes = Application("Notes");
const notes = Notes.defaultAccount.notes();
const target = notes.find(n => n.name() === "Hello from Automation");
if (target) {
`Title: ${target.name()}\nBody: ${target.body()}\nModified: ${target.modificationDate()}`;
} else {
"Note not found";
}
'
Step 4: Search Notes
# Search by keyword in note name
osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const Notes = Application("Notes");
const query = "Hello";
const results = Notes.defaultAccount.notes().filter(n =>
n.name().toLowerCase().includes(query.toLowerCase())
);
results.map(n => n.name()).join("\n") || "No results";
'
Step 5: Create Note in Specific Folder
# Create a folder and add a note to it
osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const Notes = Application("Notes");
const account = Notes.defaultAccount;
// Create folder if it does not exist
let folder = account.folders().find(f => f.name() === "Automation");
if (!folder) {
folder = Notes.Folder({ name: "Automation" });
account.folders.push(folder);
}
// Add note to folder
const note = Notes.Note({
name: "Organized Note",
body: "<p>This note lives in the Automation folder.</p>"
});
folder.notes.push(note);
`Created in folder: ${folder.name()}`;
'
Step 6: Delete a Note
# Delete by name (moves to Recently Deleted)
osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const Notes = Application("Notes");
const notes = Notes.defaultAccount.notes();
const target = notes.find(n => n.name() === "Hello from Automation");
if (target) {
Notes.delete(target);
"Note deleted";
} else {
"Note not found";
}
'
Note Properties
| Property | Type | Writable | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name |
string | Yes | Note title (first line) |
body |
string (HTML) | Yes | Full note content as HTML |
id |
string | No | Unique identifier |
creationDate |
Date | No | When note was created |
modificationDate |
Date | No | Last modification |
container |
Folder | No | Parent folder |
Output
- Created a note via JXA and AppleScript
- Listed, searched, and read note content
- Organized note into a folder
- Deleted a note
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
Notes got an error |
Notes.app not running | Add Notes.activate() first |
| Empty body | Note has no text content | Check note is not just an image |
Can't make folder |
Folder already exists | Check before creating |
| Slow response | iCloud sync in progress | Wait for sync; use local account |
Resources
Next Steps
Proceed to apple-notes-local-dev-loop for development workflow setup.
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