Adobe® Flash® Builder™ 4 (formerly Adobe Flex® Builder™) software is designed to help software developers rapidly develop cross-platform rich Internet applications (RIAs) and content using the open source Flex framework. It includes support for intelligent coding, debugging, and visual design and features powerful testing tools that speed up development and lead to higher performing applications. Learn more about all the new features included in Flash Builder 4.
Top new features
Data-centric development
Introspect Java™, PHP, Adobe ColdFusion®, REST, and SOAP services to display methods and properties in the new Data/Service Explorer. Bind methods to UI components using a simple drag-and-drop approach.
Integration with Adobe Flash Catalyst
Import Flex Projects (FXPs) created using Adobe Flash Catalyst™ software, saving time and improving the quality of the user experience. FXPs contain functional UI elements, including MXML, ActionScript® language coding, component skins, and graphical assets, enabling developers to focus on core application logic.
Network Monitor (Premium edition only)
Generate a detailed audit trail of all data passed between the local Flex application and the back end, assisting with debugging and performance tuning.
Command line build (Premium edition only)
Use the new command line build capability to automate your build process.
Flex unit testing integration (Premium edition only)
Automate functional testing using the Flex unit testing framework.
Automatic generation of common code
Automatically generate code for accessor functions (getters and setters) and event handlers to speed up development of commonly used functions.
Code refactoring enhanced
Quickly navigate through code or restructure it by renaming all references to a class, method, or variable. Flash Builder 4 adds move refactoring.
Rich visual layout enhanced
Visually design and preview user interface layout, appearance, and behavior using a rich library of built-in components. Extend the built-in Flex framework components or create new ones as needed.
Debugger improvements enhanced
Set conditional breakpoints, evaluate expressions, and set watchpoints on variables to halt execution on value change. Use the Expressions view to watch variables selected in the Variables view and to add/evaluate watch expressions. Break out of a loop during a debugging session using run to line.
Custom templates
Customize default information contained in new MXML, ActionScript, and CSS files, such as author and date, introductory comments, copyright information, opening and closing tags and attributes, ActionScript declarations, namespace prefixes, and more.
Flex Theme Browser
Easily browse and import Flex themes and apply them to your project.
ASDoc support
Display comments in MXML and ActionScript editors using ASDoc.
Adobe Flash Professional workflow
Import and update custom Flex components using the new workflow between Adobe Flash Professional software and Flash Builder 4.
Skinning and styling enhanced
Customize the appearance of an application using CSS and graphical property editors. Quickly set the most commonly used properties and preview the results in Design View.
Part of Creative Suite 5 Web Premium new
Expand your development with Adobe® Fireworks®, Illustrator®, Photoshop® Extended, and a comprehensive set of tools for the Adobe Flash® Platform. Do more with Adobe Creative Suite® Web Premium
Top overall features
Powerful coding tools enhanced
Develop using a powerful Eclipse™ based IDE that includes editors for MXML, the ActionScript® language, and CSS, as well as syntax coloring, statement completion, code collapse, interactive step-through debugging, and automatic generation of common code.
Rich visual layout enhanced
Visually design and preview user interface layout, appearance, and behavior using a rich library of built-in components. Extend the built-in Flex framework components or create new ones as needed. Import functional application UI created using the Adobe Flash Catalyst™ interaction design tool.
Data-centric development new
Introspect Java™, PHP, Adobe ColdFusion®, REST, and SOAP services to display methods and properties in the new Data/Service Explorer. Bind methods to UI components using a simple drag-and-drop approach.
Interactive data visualization enhanced
Create data dashboards and interactive data analysis by simply dragging and dropping a chart type and linking it to a data source using the Flex Charting library. Use the powerful Advanced Datagrid to enable users to explore complex data.
Skinning and styling enhanced
Customize the appearance of an application using CSS and graphical property editors. Quickly set the most commonly used properties and preview the results in Design View. Browse available themes and apply them to your project using the new Theme Browser.
Integration with Adobe Creative Suite design tools enhanced
Import design assets created using Adobe Flash Professional, Illustrator®, Photoshop®, or Fireworks® software, or import a complete application user interface created using Flash Catalyst. A new workflow between Flash Professional and Flash Builder facilitates importing and updating custom Flex components.
Native support for Adobe AIR
Create applications for the Adobe AIR® runtime with Flash Builder 4, including all the tools required to build, debug, package, and sign AIR applications. Adobe AIR lets you quickly develop RIAs for the desktop using the same skills and codebase you use to build RIAs for the browser.
Code refactoring enhanced
Quickly navigate through code or restructure it by renaming all references to a class, method, or variable. Flash Builder 4 adds move refactoring.
Powerful testing tools enhanced (Premium edition only)
Accelerate application performance using memory and performance profilers that monitor and analyze memory consumption and CPU cycles. Support for automated functional testing tools such as HP QuickTest Professional is also available.
Network Monitor new (Premium edition only)
Generate a detailed audit trail of all data passed between the local Flex application and the back end, assisting with debugging and performance tuning.
Advanced data services enhanced
Use open source BlazeDS to add binary, high-performance, HTTP-based data transport, or add the Adobe LiveCycle® Data Services ES2 module for real-time data push and pub/sub messaging.
Command line build new (Premium edition only)
Use the new command line build capability to automate your build process.
Flex unit testing integration new (Premium edition only)
Automate functional testing using the Flex unit testing framework.
ASDoc support new
Display comments in MXML and ActionScript editors using ASDoc.
All features
Improve productivity
Accelerate development and testing of expressive web applications using powerful developer tooling.
Powerful coding tools enhanced
Develop using a powerful Eclipse™ based IDE that includes editors for MXML, the ActionScript® language, and CSS, as well as syntax coloring, statement completion, code collapse, interactive step-through debugging, and automatic generation of common code.
Code refactoring enhanced
Quickly navigate through code or restructure it by renaming all references to a class, method, or variable. Flash Builder 4 adds move refactoring.
Native support for Adobe AIR
Create applications for the Adobe AIR® runtime with Flash Builder 4, including all the tools required to build, debug, package, and sign AIR applications. Adobe AIR lets you quickly develop RIAs for the desktop using the same skills and codebase you use to build RIAs for the browser.
Powerful testing tools enhanced (Premium edition only)
Accelerate application performance using memory and performance profilers that monitor and analyze memory consumption and CPU cycles. Support for automated functional testing tools such as HP QuickTest Professional software is also available.
Network Monitor new (Premium edition only)
Generate a detailed audit trail of all data passed between the local Flex application and the back end, assisting with debugging and performance tuning.
Debugger improvements enhanced
Set conditional breakpoints, evaluate expressions, and set watchpoints on variables to halt execution on value change. Use the Expressions view to watch variables selected in the Variables view and to add/evaluate watch expressions. Break out of a loop during a debugging session using run to line.
Custom templates new
Customize default information contained in new MXML, ActionScript, and CSS files, such as author and date, introductory comments, copyright information, opening and closing tags and attributes, ActionScript declarations, namespace prefixes, and more.
ASDoc support new
Display comments in MXML and ActionScript editors using ASDoc.
Adobe Flash Professional workflow new
Import and update custom Flex components using the new workflow between Adobe Flash Professional software and Flash Builder 4.
Integrate with existing infrastructure
Integrate with servers and services in existing infrastructure, including those based on Java™, PHP, Adobe ColdFusion®, REST, and SOAP.
Data-centric application development new
Introspect Java, PHP, ColdFusion, REST, and SOAP services and display methods and properties in a tree view in the new Data/Service explorer. Bind methods to UI components using a simple drag-and-drop approach. Display services based on different back-end technologies, all represented in a common, consistent model. Also use services to generate forms for master/detail functionality and to create charts.
Integration with Creative Suite design tools enhanced
Import design assets created using Adobe Creative Suite® components such as Adobe Flash Professional, Illustrator®, Photoshop®, or Fireworks®, or import a complete application user interface created using the Adobe Flash Catalyst™ interaction design tool.
Advanced data services
Use open source BlazeDS to add binary, high-performance, HTTP-based data transport, or add the Adobe LiveCycle® Data Services ES2 module to add real-time data push and pub/sub messaging.
Command line build new (Premium edition only)
Use the new command line build capability to automate your build process.
Flex unit testing integration new (Premium edition only)
Automate functional testing using the Flex unit testing framework.
Deliver more expressive apps
Create intuitive, engaging applications that deliver more compelling experiences.
Rich visual layout enhanced
Visually design and preview user interface layout, appearance, and behavior using a rich library of built-in components. Extend the built-in Flex framework components or create new ones as needed.
Interactive data visualization
Create data dashboards and interactive data analysis by simply dragging and dropping a chart type and linking it to a data source using the Flex Charting library. Use the powerful Advanced Datagrid to enable users to explore complex data.
Skinning and styling enhanced
Customize the appearance of an application using CSS and graphical property editors. Quickly set the most commonly used properties and preview the results in Design View.
Integration with Adobe Flash Catalyst new
Import Flex Projects (FXPs) created using Adobe Flash Catalyst, saving time and improving the quality of the user experience. FXPs contain functional UI, including MXML, ActionScript, component skins, and graphical assets, enabling developers to focus on core application logic.
Flex Theme Browser new
Easily browse and import Flex themes and apply them to your project.
