What is Flex?
Keywords: flex, adobe flex, flex application, flex development, flash flex
There always seems to be much confusion as to what the Flex application is all about. In a nutshell, an acronym which stands for “fast lexical analyzer generator”, Flex is a cross-platform which is based on Adobe flash software. Adobe Flex is a comprehensive developmental framework and an tool for application development that is used as a solution for development and delivering of RIAs (Rich Internet Applications).
Flash Flex has been designed to provide Flash developers with an edge while they develop Rich Internet Applications (RIAs). However, even though RIAs can also be built from within Flash, there still remain a number of limitations, especially for developers.
What is a Flex Application all about:
- A Flex application is a Flash .swf file which is embedded in a generated HTML file.
- Flex outputs its' data as a .swf. This enables one to utilize all the features of a Flash Player.
- From dynamic animations, video and sound handling to Flash Drawing API, the HTML of Flex has the required JavaScript code that helps in the detection of whether the user has installed Flash Player or not.
- Flex also has the necessary JavaScript to detect whether or not the user needs to update the current player.
Benefits of using Flex:
- Flex is extremely useful within enterprises and even across the web. This is because a flex application improves interactivity of the web for the users.
- All the applications that are created using Adobe Flex are highly expressive.
- The applications based on flash flex provide high-performance and are also compatible with all web browsers and operating system.
- Programmers and developers using Flex can download the free version of Adobe Flex SDK that is available online for their convenience so that they can work with Flex applications.
Why Flex is becoming popular:
- Flex is becoming popular by the day because it uses ActionScript 3.0, which has become a new standard for Flash development.
- Flex application development is more exciting and innovative, thereby increasing the interest of the flex developers, making them use the Adobe Flex application extensively.
- The Flex environment does not use a Timeline. This is what makes it equally helpful for both programmers and designers.
- Adobe Flex offers a much more robust experience to the user.
- Flex development bolsters the productivity by its' streamlined workflow, real time interactivity and ease of use.
Therefore, simply put Flex is just another tag-based language, interface, editor that has been designed with the sole approach to make those users who utilize Flash for designing only, to realize that Adobe Flex is not only meant to be a designer's tool.
