Adobe® Flex® 3 Bible

Chapter 2. Using Flex Builder 3

Flex Builder 3 is Adobes preferred development tool for building applications with the Flex Framework. Flex Builder is available for both the Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, and a Linux version of the product is planned for future release.

Although you can develop and deploy Flex applications to the Web or the desktop with the free Flex SDK, Flex Builder is a worthwhile investment that can increase developer productivity, reduce bugs, speed up coding, and generally make the process of developing a Flex application much more enjoyable.

Getting Flex Builder 3

You can get Flex Builder from Adobe as a free evaluation that lasts for 60 days, or you can purchase a license. Two licenses currently are available for Flex Builder 3:

• Flex Builder 3 Standard Edition includes everything you need to build basic Flex applications for the desktop and the Web, but it does not include the Flex Charting component library, the AdvancedDataGrid control, or certain other advanced development and testing tools.

• Flex Builder 3 Professional Edition includes the Flex Builder Standard Edition feature set and adds data visualization tools such as the Flex Charting components and AdvancedDataGrid control. The Professional license also includes the Flex Test Automation framework, which can be used along with Mercury QuickTest Professional to perform automated client testing on a Flex application.

Installing Flex Builder 3

Flex Builder 3 can be installed in two ways:

• As a standalone ...