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| Developer(s) | Apache Software Foundation andAdobe Systems |
|---|---|
| Initial release | June 20, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-06-20) |
| Stable release | 4.16.1 / November 23, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-11-23) |
| Repository | Flex Repository |
| Written in | ActionScript,Java[1] |
| Operating system | Windows,macOS,Linux,Android,iOS,BlackBerry Tablet OS |
| Available in | Various between websites |
| Type | Software development kit application |
| License | 2012:Apache-2.0 2008:MPL-1.1 |
| Website | Apache Flex andAdobe Flex |
Apache Flex, formerlyAdobe Flex, is asoftware development kit (SDK) for the development and deployment of cross-platformrich web applications based on theAdobe Flash platform. Initially developed byMacromedia and then acquired byAdobe Systems, Adobe donated Flex to theApache Software Foundation in 2011[2] and it was promoted to a top-level project in December 2012.
The Flex 3 SDK was released under theMPL-1.1 license in 2008. Consequently, Flex applications can be developed using standardIntegrated development environments (IDEs), such asIntelliJ IDEA,Eclipse, thefree and open source IDE FlashDevelop, as well as the proprietaryAdobe Flash Builder.
In 2014, the Apache Software Foundation started a new project called FlexJS tocross-compile ActionScript 3 to JavaScript to enable it to run on browsers that do not support Adobe Flash Player and on devices that do not support the Adobe AIR runtime.[3][4] In 2017, FlexJS was renamed toApache Royale.[5][6] The Apache Software Foundation describes the current iteration of Apache Royale as an open-source frontend technology that allows a developer to code in ActionScript 3 and MXML and target web, mobile devices and desktop devices onApache Cordova all at once.[7] Apache Royale is currently in beta development stage.[8]
Flex usesMXML to define UIlayout and other non-visual static aspects,ActionScript to address dynamic aspects and as code-behind, and requiresAdobe AIR orFlash Player atruntime to run the application.[9]
Macromedia targeted the enterprise application development market with its initial releases of Flex 1.0 and 1.5. The company offered the technology at a price around US$15,000 perCPU.[10] Required for deployment, theJava EE application server compiledMXML andActionScript on-the-fly into Flash applications (binarySWF files). Each server license included 5 licenses for the Flex Builder IDE.
Adobe significantly changed the licensing model for the Flex product line with the release of Flex 2. The core Flex 2 SDK, consisting of the command-line compilers and the complete class library of user interface components and utilities, was made available as a free download. Complete Flex applications can be built and deployed solely with the Flex 2 SDK, which contains no limitations or restrictions compared to the same SDK included with the Flex Builder IDE.
Adobe based the new version of Flex Builder on the open sourceEclipse platform. The company released two versions of Flex Builder 2, Standard and Professional. The Professional version includes the Flex Charting Components library.
Enterprise-oriented services remain available through Flex Data Services 2. This server component provides data synchronization, data push, publish-subscribe and automated testing. Unlike Flex 1.0 and 1.5, Flex Data Services is not required for the deployment of Flex applications.
Coinciding with the release of Flex 2, Adobe introduced a new version of theActionScript programming language, known as Actionscript 3, reflecting the latestECMAScript specification. The use of ActionScript 3 and Flex 2 requires version 9 or later of the Flash Player runtime. Flash Player 9 incorporated a new and more robust virtual machine for running the new ActionScript 3.
Flex was the first Macromedia product to be re-branded under theAdobe name.
On April 26, 2007, Adobe announced their intent to release the Flex 3 SDK (which excludes the Flex Builder IDE and the LiveCycle Data Services) under the terms of theMozilla Public License.[11] Adobe released the first beta of Flex 3, codenamedMoxie, in June 2007. Major enhancements include integration with the new versions of Adobe's Creative Suite products, support forAIR (Adobe's new desktop application runtime), and the addition of profiling and refactoring tools to the Flex Builder IDE.
Adobe released Flex 4.0 (code named Gumbo) on March 22, 2010.[12] The Flex 4 development environment is called Adobe Flash Builder,[13] formerly known as Adobe Flex Builder.
Some themes that have been mentioned by Adobe and have been incorporated into Flex 4 are as follows:
Flash Builder is available in two versions: Standard and Premium,[15] the premium adds the following features;
May 3, 2011, Adobe shipped Flash Builder 4.5 copying Flex 4.5 (SDK only) which delivers full support for building Flex and ActionScript applications for Google Android, as well as support for building ActionScript applications for BlackBerry Tablet OS and Apple iOS. An update to Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5 adds support for building Flex applications for BlackBerry Tablet OS and Apple iOS.
Flex 4.5 SDK delivers many new components and capabilities, along with integrated support in Flash Builder 4.5 and Flash Catalyst CS 5.5. With the Adobe Flex 4.5 SDK which is governed by three main goals:
In November 2011, Adobe released Flex SDK update 4.6, with the following changes:
Jul 25, 2012, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.8.0-incubating and it as a parity release with Adobe Flex 4.6.0. This is the first release under the incubator of the Apache Software Foundation and represents the initial donation of Adobe Flex 4.6 by Adobe System Inc.[16]
Differences and highlights include:
Jan 11, 2013, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.9.0. This is the first release since Apache Flex became a top level project of the Apache Software Foundation.[17]
Differences and highlights include:
Feb 28, 2013, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.9.1. This was a minor update to 4.9.0.[18]
Aug 6, 2013, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.10.0.[19]
Differences and highlights include:
Oct 28, 2013, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.11.0.[20]
Differences and highlights include:
Mar 10, 2014, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.12.0.[21]
Differences and highlights include:
May 3, 2014, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.12.1[23]
Differences and highlights include:
Jul 28, 2014, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.13.0.[24]
Differences and highlights include:
Jan 28, 2015, Apache Flex community releases Flex 4.14.0
Differences and highlights include:
Jan 11, 2016, Apache Flex community release Flex 4.15.0[26]
Differences and highlights include:
Mar 14, 2017, Apache Flex community release Flex 4.16.0[27]
Differences and highlights include:
LiveCycle Data Services (previously calledFlex Data Services) is a server-side complement to the main Flex SDK and Flash Builder IDE and is part of a family of server-based products available from Adobe. Deployed as a Java EE application, LiveCycle Data Services adds capabilities to Flex applications.
Previously available only as part of Adobe LiveCycle Data Services ES, Adobe plans to contribute theBlazeDS technologies to the community under theLGPL v3. BlazeDS gives Adobe developers free access to the remoting and messaging technologies developed by Adobe.
Concurrent with pre-release of BlazeDS, Adobe is publishing theAMF binary data protocol specification, on which the BlazeDS remoting implementation is based, and is attempting to partner with the community to make this protocol available for major server platforms.
Flex 2 offers special integration withColdFusion MX 7. The ColdFusion MX 7.0.2 release adds updated Flash Remoting to support ActionScript 3, a Flex Data Services event gateway, and the Flex Data Services assembler. Flex Builder 2 also adds extensions for ColdFusion providing a set of wizards for RAD Flex development. A subset of Flex 1.5 is also embedded into ColdFusion MX 7 middleware platform, for use in the ColdFusion Flash forms feature. It is possible to use this framework to write rich web applications, although its intended purpose is for rich forms only.[citation needed]
There are a number of application frameworks available which help the developer solve some common tasks and set up the application structure according to best practices.
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