Rich user experience
Flex allows web application developers to efficiently create highly interactive, expressive interfaces for web and desktop applications. Engaging applications built with Flex can reach more users, improve productivity and satisfaction, and generate increased profits.
Cross-platform, accessible applications
Flex applications leverage the Adobe® Flash® Player 9 runtime. Installed on over 98% of Internet connected computers, Flash Player uniquely provides a consistent, accessible user experience across browsers and platforms. It is an enterprise-class client runtime with advanced vector graphics capable of handling the most demanding, data-intensive applications while performing at desktop application speeds.
Adobe AIR integration
The new Adobe AIR™ client runtime enables rich Internet applications (RIAs) to run on the desktop, creating new opportunities for more engaging, high-performance online/offline applications. The Flex framework provides native support for the new AIR APIs, and Adobe Flex Builder™ 3 software provides all the tools necessary to build, debug, package, and sign applications built on Adobe AIR.
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(Tom Lane, Adobe Systems, Inc. 4:21 min.)
Developer productivity
Assemble and build RIAs using more than100 rich, prebuilt application components. Use the powerful Eclipse™ based Flex Builder development environment to further accelerate development, debugging, and testing of web and desktop RIAs.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 integration
The combination of Flex and Adobe Creative Suite® 3 software provides smooth, consistent workflows using best-in-class tools. Use Adobe Flash, Fireworks®, Illustrator®, and Photoshop® to create assets in native Flex formats. Use Flex Builder to easily import these assets into the interface of an RIA.
Ease of use
Get started quickly with an extensive library of components, skins, containers, and application services. Use wizards to connect to existing web services or generate database connection code in Adobe ColdFusion®, PHP, ASP.NET, and Java™.
Open source, standards-based framework
Flex 3 is available as open source software through the Open Source Flex SDK project. Flex provides a modern, standards-based language and programming model supporting common design patterns. You can extend and enhance the open source framework to suit your needs and contribute to the evolution of Flex.
Advanced data services
Using open source BlazeDS, easily connect Flex and AIR applications to back-end, distributed data and Java server infrastructures to deliver responsive, real-time, data-driven user experiences deployed in the browser or on the desktop.
Enhancements to existing projects
Add incremental richness by embedding micro-applications or components in existing websites, or revolutionize your entire user experience with immersive, single-screen applications, all with a single investment.
Scalability
Flex is designed to scale from simple components in websites to full-blown browser-based or desktop applications. With its extensible prebuilt component library, Flex provides a broad solution for creating RIAs of all kinds. Developers can select data transport methods including support for XML over HTTP, Adobe's Action Message Format (AMF), or RTMP using Adobe LiveCycle® Data Services ES (formerly Flex Data Services).
