subject: Ria Development With Adobe Flex [print this page] Internet applications are becoming more and more sophisticated with improving internet technologies. To develop those rich applications, one of the various technologies introduced is Adobe Flex enables numerous functionalities to applications which enhances user experience one way or another.
However, these applications along with their associated technologies are categorized according to their area of operations:
There are Rich desktop applications which are build using language like Visual basic, C#, Delphi etc. These languages introduce diverse functionalities in applications however, their utility is limited for creating desktop applications.
So to provide new functionalities for internet users, rich browser applications are introduced. These applications make use of JavaScript, AJAX, DHTML etc. to stimulate rich functions, but if these applications or programs are not installed in the system of user, they'll not be able to experience those functionalities.
So finally, to liberate the user from such limitations, Rich Internet applications are introduced. Rich Internet Applications or RIA,are created using technologies like Flex, which is a programming model for developing high performance RIAs.
Flex is built on Adobe technology and basically possesses all the features of Adobe Flash platform. Adobe flex assists in developing cross-platform RIAs which not only gives a Flash-like look to the page but helps to present different set of data through animations. Adobe Flex provides ease of programming among other advantages for RIA development like:
Building Flex applications is quite an easy task as compared to the similar technologies HTML5 or JavaScript etc.
Flex apps can run off the browser and in offline mode as well which is quite a unique feature in using an internet based application in offline mode.
Flex enriches the use of AJAX with the blend of AJAX client for flex data services.
Flex overcomes browser limitations for developing applications and creates new generation of expressive and high performance applications.
Flex delivers impressive visual components, transitions, effects and skinning to application to make it look good.
Data handling capabilities are also added in Adobe Flex which help an application to synchronize with the data in real-time, store the data for offline sessions and publish and subscribe for messages.
The main advantage or feature of using Flex for developing RIAs is that there is no licensing fee associated with its SDK enabling developers to build a RIA for free.
Coding in Adobe Flex is done in an XML-based language called MXML and apps are developed in Java environment. The applications developed in Flex are executed using Adobe Flash player plug-in installed in browser and can also be executed in stand-alone Adobe's Flash players.
