Programming Flex 3

Chapter 1. Introducing Flex

Flex is a collection of technologies that enables you to rapidly build applications deployed to Flash Player, a runtime environment for delivering sophisticated user interfaces and interactivity. Flex leverages existing, matured technologies and standards such as XML, web services, HTTP, Flash Player, and ActionScript. Even though Flex allows you to create complete rich Internet and desktop applications, it does so in a relatively simple and intuitive manner. Although Flex does allow you to get under the hood for more granular control over all the elements, it significantly lowers the learning curve in that it allows you to compose applications rapidly by assembling off-the-shelf components, including UI controls, layout containers, data models, and data communication components.

In this chapter, we’ll introduce Flex and Flex technologies in more detail so that you can better understand what Flex is and how you can best get started working with it. You’ll learn what elements a Flex application uses and how they work together. We’ll also compare and contrast Flex with other technologies for creating both standard and rich Internet applications (RIAs). Additionally, we’ll review the changes and additions to Flex 3 from earlier versions.

Understanding Flex Application Technologies

If you’re new to Flex, you may not yet have a clear understanding of what a Flex application is, how it works, and what benefits it has over alternative technologies and platforms. ...