How to Get Started with Adobe Photoshop in 2026

#target photoshop

// Create a new 800x600 px document with white background
app.documents.add(800, 600, 72, "My First Document", NewDocumentMode.RGB, DocumentFill.WHITE);

// Add a text layer
var textLayer = app.activeDocument.artLayers.add();
textLayer.kind = LayerKind.TEXT;
textLayer.textItem.contents = "Hello Photoshop!";
textLayer.textItem.position = [100, 100];
textLayer.textItem.size = 48;

app.activeDocument.save();

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var originalLayer = doc.activeLayer;
    
    // Duplicate the active layer
    var dupLayer = originalLayer.duplicate();
    dupLayer.name = "Masked Copy";
    
    // Add an empty layer mask
    var mask = dupLayer.createLayerMask();
    
    // Fill the mask with black (invisible)
    mask.apply("Fill", [0, 0, 0], 100);
    
    app.activeDocument.save();
}

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    
    // Create a new layer
    var gradientLayer = doc.artLayers.add();
    gradientLayer.name = "Background Gradient";
    
    // Select entire canvas
    doc.selection.selectAll();
    
    // Apply linear blue-to-purple gradient
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Grad"), charIDToTypeID("Grad"), charIDToTypeID("Lnr "));
    desc.putUnitDouble(charIDToTypeID("Opct"), charIDToTypeID("#Prc"), 100);
    executeAction(charIDToTypeID("Gd  "), desc);
    
    doc.selection.deselect();
    doc.activeLayer = gradientLayer;
    app.activeDocument.save();
}

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    
    // Resize to 1200px width, proportional
    doc.resizeImage(1200, undefined, 72, ResampleMethod.BICUBICSHARPER);
    
    // Optimize for web (sRGB)
    doc.changeMode(ChangeMode.RGB);
    
    // Save as JPEG
    var jpgOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
    jpgOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
    jpgOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
    jpgOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
    jpgOptions.quality = 12;
    doc.saveAs(new File(doc.path + "/optimized.jpg"), jpgOptions);
}

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    
    // Select all layers
    doc.activeLayer = doc.layers[0];
    
    // Auto Levels (like Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + L)
    var idLvls = charIDToTypeID("Lvls");
    var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idDplc = charIDToTypeID("Dplc");
    desc1.putBoolean(idDplc, false);
    executeAction(idLvls, desc1, DialogModes.NO);
    
    app.activeDocument.save();
}

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    
    // Make background transparent if present
    if (doc.layers[doc.layers.length - 1].isBackgroundLayer) {
        doc.layers[doc.layers.length - 1].isBackgroundLayer = false;
    }
    
    // PNG options
    pngFileOptions = new PNGSaveOptions();
    pngFileOptions.compression = 0;
    pngFileOptions.interlaced = false;
    
    // Save
    var pngFile = new File(doc.path + "/export-transparent.png");
    doc.saveAs(pngFile, pngFileOptions);
    alert("Exported: " + pngFile.name);
}