Let's walk through creating a basic "Hello World" panel plugin using UDT. Step 1: Scaffold the Project Open . Click the Create Plugin button in the top right. Fill out the required metadata: Plugin Name: My First UXP Plugin
The fastest way to understand the tools is to build a "Hello World" plugin.
In the top right corner, UDT displays status indicators showing which Creative Cloud applications are currently running and accessible. If an application is open but not appearing, a manual refresh option allows you to re-scan active system processes. Action Menu adobe uxp developer tools
Code written for UXP can often be adapted across different Adobe products, unlike older, app-specific extensions. Setting Up Your Development Environment
UDT allows you to connect directly to active Creative Cloud host applications. With a single click, you can load your local plugin directory into Photoshop or Illustrator. The tool tracks multiple plugins simultaneously, allowing you to manage different projects or versions without cluttering your workspace. 2. Real-Time "Watch" Mode and Live Reloading Let's walk through creating a basic "Hello World"
Previously recommended but now phased out in favor of VS Code.
Choose a destination folder on your local machine and click . Step 2: Understand the Generated Structure UDT creates a minimal, highly optimized project folder: Fill out the required metadata: Plugin Name: My
The main screen lists your connected host applications and any plugins you have added to your workspace. Each plugin entry displays its status (Loaded, Unloaded, Error) along with quick-action buttons. App Connection Status
Before we talk about the tool, we need to understand the platform. UXP is Adobe’s next-generation extensibility layer. Unlike the legacy CEP, which relied on an embedded browser engine (CEF) and a separate communication layer (CSInterface), UXP offers a direct bridge between your code and Photoshop’s internals.