# ARexx 11 Hacker News commenters recommended ARexx and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** Amiga's built-in scripting language that let applications communicate through message ports and be automated. People praise its design and say it could have played the role Python does now. ## Why people recommend it - Lets programs communicate and be scripted (2 comments): "The pinnacle of workflow design on the Amiga was of course ARexx which allowed applications to communicate through message ports and automation scripts." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48176901)) "ARexx allowed any application that supported it to communicate with each other, and to be scripted" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49046593)) - Built into the OS, widely integrated (2 comments): "a standard OS-supplied scripting language that every self-respecting software program integrated with (ARexx)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49018111)) "The built-in scripting language was Rexx which I feel could have played the role Python does now" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48107264)) - Bold, well-chosen scripting design (2 comments): "using Rexx as the scripting engine was a bold and great choice." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49829683)) "Rexx scripting on the desktop was glorious in 1995." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48913122)) - Makes automation easy and powerful (2 comments): "would make a lot of cool things very easy to do" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47780029)) "appreciated what things like ARexx could do" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49020886)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Lua](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lua.md): 186 recommend - [awk](https://hackerapproved.com/p/awk.md): 67 recommend - [AutoHotkey](https://hackerapproved.com/p/autohotkey.md): 44 recommend - [GDScript](https://hackerapproved.com/p/gdscript.md): 22 recommend - [AppleScript](https://hackerapproved.com/p/applescript.md): 19 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "ARexx", https://hackerapproved.com/p/arexx/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).