The document overview describes the development and features of the Apache Flex framework, which is an open-source GUI framework enabling complex interactivity and rich application interfaces. It highlights the framework's history, various runtimes, supported languages, and important features, along with connectivity options and the growing developer community. Despite some limitations, such as printing issues and mobile performance concerns, Flex remains actively developed and supported by a vibrant ecosystem.

1. Enterprise ready GUI
framework
Tomislav Pokrajčić
Binaria d.o.o.

2. Intro
 Binaria d.o.o.
 Building for business, marketing,
entertainment and industry since 2007
 Flash/AIR/Flex, Java, PHP, HTML5
 Zagreb Flex User Group (www.zgflex.org)
 2008
 FlasHR (www.flashr.org)
 2011

3. What is Flex?
 Open source GUI framework
 Easy to build new components &
complex interactivity
 Fancy performance
 Superpowers show up on projects that
require GUI beyond standard
components

4. Brief history
 2004 - Macromedia Flex Server 1.0 i 1.5
 2006 - Adobe Flex 2
 2007 - Adobe Flex 3 (MPL)
 2009 - Adobe Flex 3.5
 2010 - Adobe Flex 4
 2011 - Adobe Flex 4.5
 2011 - Adobe Flex 4.6
 2012 - Apache Flex 4.8 (4.6 parity release)

5. Runtimes
 Flash Player browser plugin
 (desktop, mobile)
 AIR desktop
 (Windows, Mac, Linux)
 AIR mobile
 (iOS, Android, Blackberry tablet OS,
TV)

6. Languages
ActionScript3

7. Languages
MXML

8. Languages
FXG

9. Web/deskop components

10. Mobile components
Out of the box Easy and powerful skinning

11. Examples

12. Examples

13. Examples

14. Examples

15. Framework features
 Mature and well documented
 i18n and L10n support
 Dev process shielded from 99% of the
browser issues

16. Development
 Strong typing
 Namespaces support
 Compile time testing
 Easy refactoring
 Code obfuscation
 Unit testable (FlexUnit)

17. Framework features
 Powerful internal component lifecycle
 Invalidation
 Events
 Easy drag n’ drop support
 Easy data binding
 Validators, formatters, transitions,
effects

18. Connectivity
 AMF remoting, WebServices, JSON, ...
 Java ORB: BlazeDS, GraniteDS, ...
 AS3 Object <-> Java object
 RPC
 HTTP, polling, long polling, streaming

19. Flex Ecosystem
 350.000 <= Flex developers <= 500.000
 Many good IoC / MVC frameworks
(Swiz,Parsley,Mate,RobotLegs,...)
 Lots of other open source code (maps,
graphics, charts, …)
 Many commercial components
 Active community

20. Cons
 Printing issues from browser
 Doesn’t work on mobile browsers
 Flex mobile apps performance not blazing
fast as native
 “Well, hello, it’s Flash!”

21. Current state
 Fresh blood / more developers on project
 Full open source life
 Framework detached from corporate
strategy
 Tools in bloom from other vendors (Jetbrains,
FDT...)
 Awaiting new compilers (Falcon, FalconJS)

22. More
 http://incubator.apache.org/flex
 flex-dev-subscribe@incubator.apache.org
 www.zgflex.org
 www.flashr.org
 tomislav.pokrajcic@binaria.hr