Adobe Releases Flash Builder 4, Flash Catalyst And The Flex 4 framework

Adobe Systems has announced the beta availability of Adobe Flash Builder 4 (formerly named Adobe Flex Builder), Adobe Flash Catalyst and the open source Flex 4 framework.

Adobe Flash Builder is a professional development tool designed to help software developers build rich Internet applications (RIAs). Adobe Flash Catalyst is a new professional interaction design tool for creating application user interfaces without coding. The tools are based on the new Flex 4 framework, an open source framework for building RIAs that will allow developers and designers to more easily collaborate on projects. The public betas of these products are available today for download on Adobe Labs.

Adobe Flash Builder 4 is based on the open source Flex framework and comes with a powerful set of new features to simplify RIA development. Formerly known as Adobe Flex Builder, the new IDE improves basic development functionality, adds significant new data-centric development features and streamlines the design-develop workflow.

Also announced today is the newest release of the open source Flex framework that provides a common foundation for both developers and designers to create compelling user experiences that run on the Adobe Flash Platform. The updated Flex framework facilitates productivity and consistency, enabling developers to import functional UI created by designers using Adobe Flash Catalyst and completing the application logic while preserving the design and layout of the user experience.

Adobe Flash Catalyst, a new tool in the Adobe Flash Platform, turns interaction design from a development task into a design discipline. It allows designers to transform artwork created in Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator software into user interfaces that can then be utilized directly by developers to complete the application or site. This improved workflow allows designers to maintain control of the user experience while developers can stay focused on core application logic.