{
 "categories": [
  "design"
 ],
 "deployment": "desktop",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "Adobe's llms.txt index lists After Effects at https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html as motion-design software for animating stills, title sequences, and 3D workspace work inside After Effects.",
   "source": "https://www.adobe.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "name",
   "note": "Adobe HelpX titles the page After Effects System Requirements and documents current After Effects desktop technical requirements.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "vendor",
   "note": "The After Effects developer page is published by Adobe on developer.adobe.com as Creative Cloud After Effects extensibility documentation.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "deployment",
   "note": "The technical-requirements page documents a locally installed After Effects desktop application for Windows and macOS that activates over the internet.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "platforms[0]",
   "note": "Minimum Windows specifications list Windows 11 v24H2, including Windows on Arm at OS Build 26100.2033.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "platforms[1]",
   "note": "Minimum macOS specifications list macOS Sonoma (version 14); recommended is macOS Sonoma (version 14) and later.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "Adobe states that an Internet connection, Adobe ID, and acceptance of the license agreement are required to activate and use the product, and that registration is necessary for subscription validation.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "status",
   "note": "HelpX publishes current After Effects desktop requirements, including Windows 11 v24H2 and current macOS Sonoma support, for an active Creative Cloud product.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "Adobe states that developers extend After Effects using plug-ins, scripts, and panels and automate complex tasks using After Effects APIs.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "HelpX states that After Effects scripts use the Adobe ExtendScript language, an extended form of JavaScript, with .jsx or .jsxbin filename extensions.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/automate-in-after-effects/automate-animation/scripts.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[1]",
   "note": "Adobe documents a plug-in SDK for visual effects, parameter controls, and image buffers from 8-bit to 32-bit float, and says effects built with that SDK can be made compatible with Premiere Pro.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "Adobe presents scripts, panels, and the plug-in SDK as the way to manipulate project elements, automate media ingest and delivery, and add After Effects functions. That is in-process desktop coverage, not a hosted REST catalog.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.api.docs",
   "note": "Opened Adobe's current public After Effects developer overview as the official automation and extensibility hub cited in this record.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.exists",
   "note": "Adobe documents official plug-in, script, and panel surfaces for After Effects on the Creative Cloud developer site.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.official",
   "note": "The page is vendor-published Adobe Creative Cloud developer documentation.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages[0]",
   "note": "ExtendScript is documented as an extended form of JavaScript and is the After Effects scripting language.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/automate-in-after-effects/automate-animation/scripts.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages[1]",
   "note": "The plug-in SDK is the documented native path for After Effects effects and related project-element control.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.cli.exists",
   "note": "Adobe documents aerender.exe as a command-line interface in the After Effects application folder for automated and network rendering, including aerender -help and flags such as -project, -comp, and -output.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/automated-rendering-network-rendering.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting[0]",
   "note": "HelpX documents File > Scripts execution of loaded scripts, Run Script File for .jsx files, Recent Script Files, and File > Scripts > Open Script Editor.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/automate-in-after-effects/automate-animation/scripts.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting[1]",
   "note": "HelpX refers to the Scripts and ScriptUI Panels folders as install locations for After Effects scripts.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/automate-in-after-effects/automate-animation/scripts.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting[2]",
   "note": "Adobe documents plug-ins as a first-party After Effects extension path alongside scripts and dockable panels.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.rpa.ui_stack[0]",
   "note": "HelpX planning-and-setup documentation presents After Effects as a desktop application with workspaces, panels, and viewers. No UI probe was run.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/planning-setup.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "modalities.agent_docs.llms_txt",
   "note": "https://www.adobe.com/llms.txt opened as a genuine Adobe product index and names After Effects with the adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html product URL.",
   "source": "https://www.adobe.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "Official ExtendScript, ScriptUI panels, command-line script launch, and a C++ plug-in SDK cover in-process automation of the desktop application. Public HTML is an overview rather than a full object-model reference, the path is licensed desktop software rather than a hosted REST service, and no After Effects UXP catalog was opened, which keeps the score at 7.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.cli",
   "note": "aerender is official and documented for non-interactive render-queue and composition output, and HelpX also documents afterfx -r for running a script. The CLI is render- and script-launch oriented rather than a structured resource CLI, so the score is 6.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/automated-rendering-network-rendering.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as Adobe HelpX Scripts in After Effects, including ExtendScript, .jsx/.jsxbin, File > Scripts, and afterfx -r.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/automate-in-after-effects/automate-animation/scripts.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as Adobe's current After Effects developer overview for plug-ins, scripts, panels, and command-line automation.",
   "source": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as Adobe HelpX Automated rendering and network rendering, including the aerender command-line interface.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/automated-rendering-network-rendering.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-12",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[3].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current After Effects desktop technical-requirements page, including Windows 11 v24H2, macOS Sonoma, Adobe ID, and subscription activation.",
   "source": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-09-12",
  "volatility": "medium",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "scripting",
    "url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/automate-in-after-effects/automate-animation/scripts.html"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/automated-rendering-network-rendering.html"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/get-started/technical-requirements/system-requirements.html"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html",
 "id": "adobe-after-effects",
 "license": "commercial",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": true
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [],
   "coverage": "full",
   "docs": "https://developer.adobe.com/after-effects/",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "extendscript",
    "cpp"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": true
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [],
   "import": []
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [
    "extendscript",
    "scriptui-panels",
    "cpp-plugins"
   ],
   "webhooks": "unknown"
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": "unknown",
   "n8n": "unknown",
   "power_automate": "unknown",
   "zapier": "unknown"
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": "unknown",
   "third_party": [],
   "verdict": "unknown"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. Official ExtendScript, File > Scripts, ScriptUI panels, the plug-in SDK, afterfx -r, and aerender automate a licensed After Effects desktop install through supported scripting and render surfaces instead of visual UI driving. This record is After Effects, not Premiere Pro, Photoshop, or Illustrator. Computer-use viability is not inferred from the desktop UI.\n",
   "ui_stack": [
    "desktop-native"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": true,
   "languages": [
    "javascript",
    "cpp"
   ],
   "official": true
  }
 },
 "name": "Adobe After Effects",
 "platforms": [
  "windows",
  "macos"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "adobe-illustrator",
   "adobe-photoshop",
   "blender"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "Adobe",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "api",
  "scores": {
   "api": 7,
   "cli": 6,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": null,
   "mcp": null,
   "overall": 7,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "Adobe After Effects is automatable today through first-party desktop ExtendScript and the After Effects plug-in SDK, with aerender as a render-oriented CLI. This record is After Effects, the motion-graphics and compositing application. It is not Adobe Premiere Pro, not Adobe Photoshop, and not Adobe Illustrator. Adobe HelpX states that After Effects scripts use ExtendScript, an extended form of JavaScript, with .jsx or .jsxbin files loaded from the Scripts folder and run from File > Scripts, File > Scripts > Run Script File, or afterfx -r on the command line. Adobe's After Effects developer page says developers extend After Effects with plug-ins, scripts, and panels; scripts run from a menu item or the command line; panels dock and resize in the After Effects UI; and effects built with the plug-in SDK can be made compatible with Premiere Pro. aerender.exe is a documented command-line renderer in the After Effects application folder, with flags such as -project, -comp, -output, and -reuse. Desktop technical requirements list Windows 11 v24H2 and macOS Sonoma (version 14) and later, and require an Internet connection, Adobe ID, and license-agreement acceptance. No After Effects UXP catalog, first-party MCP, named low-code connector, or computer-use result was established. ExtendScript plus the official SDK are the best path.\n"
 }
}