Adobe Integrated Runtime
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) | |
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| Developed by | Adobe Systems |
| Initial release | 1.0 / February 25, 2008 |
| Latest release | 1.0.1 (1.0.8.4990) / April 8, 2008 |
| OS | Mac OS X, Windows, Linux |
| Platform | Cross-platform |
| Available in | English |
| Development status | Active |
| Genre | Runtime environment |
| License | Adobe Apollo Runtime EULA |
| Website | Adobe: AIR |
Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), codenamed Apollo,[1] is a cross-operating system runtime environment for building rich Internet applications using Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, HTML, and Ajax, that can be deployed as a desktop application.
Adobe made a public preview release of AIR (then called Apollo) along with a software development kit and extension for developing Apollo applications with the Flex framework, on March 19, 2007. On June 10, 2007, Apollo was renamed to AIR and a public beta release of the runtime was launched. Public beta 2 of AIR SDK was released on October 1, 2007. Public beta 3, was released on December 12, 2007, and version 1.0 was released on February 25, 2008. [2][3]
A Linux alpha version was released on March 31, 2008.[4]
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[edit] Overview
AIR is intended to be a very versatile runtime environment, as it allows existing Flash or HTML and JavaScript code to be re-used to construct a more traditional desktop-like program. Adobe positions it more so as a browserless runtime for rich internet applications (RIAs) that can be deployed onto the desktop, rather than a fully-fledged application framework. The differences between each deployment paradigm provides both advantages and disadvantages over both. For example a rich internet application deployed in a browser does not require installation, while one deployed with AIR requires the application be packaged, digitally signed, and installed to the users local file system. However, this provides unlimited local storage and file system access, while browser deployed applications are limited by how much the browser restricts where data is usually periodically deleted.[5] However, in most cases, rich internet applications store users' data on their own servers, but the ability to consume and work with data on a user's local file system allows for greater flexibility when an application is working offline.
[edit] Applications
AIR applications can operate offline, and then activate further functionality or upload data when an active internet connection becomes available. One example is eBay Desktop, which allows sellers to complete a listing offline and then upload it to eBay when they are connected to the internet.[6] Other companies currently using AIR include AOL for its Top 100 Music Videos service, NASDAQ Market Replay, CleVR for its panoramic photo stitcher, as well as Pownce [1] and finetune [2] for their desktop applications .
[edit] Development environment
Adobe currently provides three ways of developing AIR applications:
- HTML/AJAX, either via Adobe's own Dreamweaver CS3, another HTML editing program or a normal text editor in conjunction with the AIR SDK.[7]
- Adobe Flex Builder 3
- Adobe Flash CS3
[edit] Data Options
AIR currently has four ways of working with data:
- Database server via web services
- Local XML file
- Local SQLite database shipped with AIR
- Encrypted Local Store included with AIR
[edit] Security
Documents that describe the security features of AIR:
Dreamweaver CS3 requires an additional extension to compile AIR applications,[8] as does Flash CS3 in the form of an update.[9] The cross-platform nature of the runtime means any HTML editor, coupled with the AIR SDK, can create AIR applications. AIR itself uses the WebKit HTML rendering engine, which is wrapped around Flash and PDF technologies.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Adobe - Adobe AIR. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
- ^ Adobe Labs: AIR runtime page. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
- ^ Adobe Labs: AIR SDK page. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
- ^ Adobe AIR alpha for Linux is out. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ Adobe AIR: Browser vs. Desktop. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
- ^ a b Introducing Adobe AIR for Ajax developers (pg. 2). Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
- ^ Adobe AIR Developer Center for HTML and Ajax - Getting Started. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
- ^ Adobe - AIR: Tools for Ajax. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
- ^ Adobe Flash - Downloads. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
[edit] External links
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