by Jordan Steele·Workflow
Images © Jordan Steele. Used for product review; image policy.
Earns its place in the aescripts library by pairing VS Code editing features with an expression library and property-linking tools for After Effects.
expressCode brings VS Code's editor to After Effects. It provides IntelliSense completion, real-time error checking, hover definitions, and TypeScript support for writing expressions.
Rather than hunting through the timeline, you can edit any expression in your comp directly. A built-in library stores your most-used scripts and expressions for one-click access, and the extension covers linking expressions to properties and loading expressions from layers. Autocomplete supports locally declared variables and functions, along with After Effects string names for comps, layers, markers, effects, and effect parameters.
Recent updates added search across the layers and library, select all identical expressions, reveal a selected expression in the timeline, and persistent editor content between launches. The Insert Property Reference (pick whip) gained default parameter formatting and relative reference options. expressCode runs with After Effects 2026 through 2021, and version 1.2.3 added a fix for pasting non-English characters on Windows.
expressCode is best for after Effects artists who write and manage expressions and want editor features like completion, error checking, TypeScript support, and a reusable expression library.
expressCode is completely free to download and use.
expressCode supports After Effects across several recent releases, including 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021. If you're on any of those versions, the extension is built to run with your install. Version 1.2.3 is the current release, dated March 31, 2026, so newer builds may extend that range further over time. For the definitive, up-to-date compatibility list and any host-specific notes, check the developer's page before installing.
expressCode includes TypeScript support alongside IntelliSense completion, real-time error checking, and hover definitions, bringing VS Code's editor to your expression work in After Effects. These are the coding features it provides for writing and checking expressions directly in your comp. The feature list also covers dedicated TypeScript scripting as one of its areas. For a walkthrough of how these pieces fit together, a demo video is available.
expressCode is listed as free in this catalog. We don't publish a specific price here, since licensing terms can change over time and are best confirmed at the source. To see the current licensing details, any usage conditions, and download options, visit the developer's page on aescripts. That's also where you'll find the latest version and release notes, which as of this writing show version 1.2.3 from March 31, 2026.
expressCode includes an Insert Property Reference button, its version of a pick whip, for inserting references to properties. Recent updates added a default effect parameter format setting (display name, match name, or index) and an option to prefer relative property references on the same layer, using 'thisLayer' rather than 'thisComp.layer(...)'. Modifier keys can override those defaults for a single click, and shape layer property references now build and insert correctly. It also checks layer and effect names for uniqueness before inserting.
Also in Workflow for After Effects.
by nebulaf
mirAI is an AI scripting assistant for After Effects that turns natural language prompts into scripts and expressions. Powered by Google Gemini and OpenRouter, it connects to 300+ AI models through a single API key.
by Rob Barrett
Random Roller is a script for After Effects that brings controlled randomness to layer workflows. Select a random subset of layers, sort layers into groups, or rearrange layers and keyframes into a random order.
by Conde Pablo
ClipToAE imports Clip Studio Paint animations directly into After Effects. Developed by Conde Pablo, it handles layer interpretation and animation folders during import, and runs on After Effects versions from CC 2017 through 2026.
by Medhat Mounier Fayez
Project Doctor is an After Effects panel for tidying up cluttered projects. It relinks missing footage, clears duplicate assets, and lets you browse, tag, and organize media from one place.
by Étienne Brûlé
Cadence is an AI speech-to-marker tool for After Effects that uses WhisperX to place a frame-accurate marker on every spoken word automatically. Select an audio layer and generate word markers in one operation.
by Salt Media
BlenderAe2 by Salt Media transfers 3D data and objects between Blender and After Effects in both directions, covering vertices, 3D layer transforms, camera data and layer synchronization.
by MAXON
Maxon One from MAXON bundles tools like Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Redshift, Red Giant and Maxon Studio into a unified ecosystem, letting artists move between applications and Adobe hosts such as After Effects and Premiere Pro without friction.
by MotionLand
AEVIEWER 2 is a media browser for After Effects and Premiere Pro from MotionLand. Preview, apply, and import projects and media files in one click. Listed here as free.
by MAXON
Maxon Teams Annual Subscription Licensing is a one-year named-user plan for teams working across After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Premiere Pro. It provides access to Cinema 4D, Redshift, ZBrush, and Red Giant's creative tools.
by Motion Array
Motion Array is an extension for After Effects and Premiere Pro that brings its library of templates, stock video, royalty-free music, and more into your Adobe Creative Cloud apps for one-click download and import.
by Thomas Zagler - pixelsucht.net
Free Stock Search is an extension for After Effects and Premiere Pro that searches unsplash.com, pixabay.com, and pexels.com for free stock photos, then downloads and imports a chosen image with one click.
