In James 2:14, we read of one who says/claims he has faith but has no works (to evidence his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an empty profession of faith/dead faith.
So James does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to show the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine.
We need to remember that James is discussing the evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God. (Romans 4:2-3)
So James does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to show the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine.
We need to remember that James is discussing the evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God. (Romans 4:2-3)
the beginning of faith is a seed of true hope but it doesn’t have any evidence of it even being planted until it starts to break through the soil and the leaves emerge . Faith doesn’t remain a seed , it grows and reaches forth taking in the Son and the water from heaven
the plant that emerges is not toiling , because all of the evidence is springing forth from the roots of faith the fruit only comes because the seed is accepted , we can’t make the fruit unless we have roots first then we don’t know how or why , but the soil receiving the seed becomes a plant later and bears fruit that was always hidden in hope before the seed began to shew life forth from the soil
the harvester doesn’t harvest seeds but what grows from the seed becomes the harvest of ages