Editing Adobe Flash (section)

==Applications==

===Websites===
In the early 2000s, Flash was widely installed on [[desktop computer]]s, and was often used to display interactive [[web page]]s and [[online game]]s, and to play video and audio content.<ref name="lifedeath">{{cite web |url=http://mashable.com/2012/11/19/history-of-flash/ |title=The Life, Death and Rebirth of Adobe Flash |last1=WARREN |first1=CHRISTINA |date=2012-11-20 |publisher=Mashable |access-date=2015-06-11 |archive-date=June 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613060710/http://mashable.com/2012/11/19/history-of-flash/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2005, [[YouTube]] was founded by former [[PayPal]] employees, and it used Adobe Flash Player as a means to display compressed video content on the web.<ref name="lifedeath"/>

Between 2000 and 2010, numerous businesses used Flash-based websites to launch new products, or to create interactive company portals.<ref name="smash50">{{cite web|url=http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/07/50-beautiful-flash-websites/|title=50 Beautiful Flash Websites|last1=Pinho|first1=Carlos|date=2009-07-07|work=Smashing Magazine|access-date=2015-06-11|archive-date=June 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612114315/http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/07/50-beautiful-flash-websites/|url-status=live}}</ref> Notable users include [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]], [[Hewlett-Packard]] (more commonly known as HP), [[Nokia]], [[General Electric]], [[World Wide Fund for Nature|World Wildlife Fund]], [[HBO]], [[Cartoon Network]], [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], and [[Motorola]].<ref name="smash50"/><ref>[https://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/fwa_2009.html Looking back at the best Flash sites of 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018034214/http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/fwa_2009.html |date=October 18, 2015 }}, Adobe Developer Connection, 14 December 2009</ref> After Adobe introduced hardware-accelerated 3D for Flash ([[Stage3D]]), Flash websites saw a growth of 3D content for product demonstrations and virtual tours.<ref name="smash3d">{{cite web |url=http://www.smashingapps.com/2011/06/15/35-of-the-best-3d-flash-websites-ever.html |title=35 Of The Best 3D Flash Websites Ever |last1=DAVLIN |first1=ANN |date=2011-06-15 |publisher=Smashing 3D |access-date=2015-06-11 |archive-date=August 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804222246/https://www.smashingapps.com/2011/06/15/35-of-the-best-3d-flash-websites-ever.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://webdesignerdrops.com/gallery/3d-websites/ 20 Best 3D Websites] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612142420/http://webdesignerdrops.com/gallery/3d-websites/ |date=June 12, 2015 }}, Web Designer Drops, September 15, 2012</ref>

In 2007, YouTube offered videos in HTML5 format to support the [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]], which did not support Flash Player.<ref name="lifedeath"/> After a [[Thoughts on Flash|controversy with Apple]], Adobe stopped developing Flash Player for Mobile, focusing its efforts on Adobe AIR applications and HTML5 animation.<ref name="lifedeath"/> In 2015, [[Google]] introduced [[Google Swiffy]], a tool that converted Flash animation to HTML5, which Google used to automatically convert Flash web ads for mobile devices.<ref>[http://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/24135/google-to-automatically-convert-flash-web-ads-to-html5 Google to automatically convert Flash web ads to HTML5] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612060136/http://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/24135/google-to-automatically-convert-flash-web-ads-to-html5 |date=June 12, 2015 }}, IT Pro Magazine, Caroline Preece, 27 Feb 2015</ref> In 2016, Google discontinued Swiffy and its support.<ref name="venturebeat.com">{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/06/15/google-is-killing-its-swiffy-tool-for-converting-flash-files-into-html5-on-july-1/|title=Google is killing its Swiffy tool for converting Flash files into HTML5 on July 1|date=15 June 2016|website=venturebeat.com|access-date=July 28, 2018|archive-date=August 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803215648/https://venturebeat.com/2016/06/15/google-is-killing-its-swiffy-tool-for-converting-flash-files-into-html5-on-july-1/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, YouTube switched to HTML5 technology on most devices by default;<ref>[http://www.popsci.com/youtube-now-plays-html5-video-by-default-eschews-adobe-flash YOUTUBE NOW PLAYS HTML5 VIDEO BY DEFAULT, ESCHEWS ADOBE FLASH] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504082114/http://www.popsci.com/youtube-now-plays-html5-video-by-default-eschews-adobe-flash |date=May 4, 2015 }}, [[Popular Science]], Dan Moren, January 28, 2015</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150131023336/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2392445/youtube-ditches-adobe-flash-for-html5-on-most-browsers YouTube ditches Adobe Flash for HTML5 on most browsers], [[The Inquirer]], Chris Merriman, Jan 28 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.pcworld.com/article/2876307/so-long-flash-youtube-now-defaults-to-html5-on-the-web.html So long, Flash! YouTube now defaults to HTML5 on the web] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630003555/http://www.pcworld.com/article/2876307/so-long-flash-youtube-now-defaults-to-html5-on-the-web.html |date=June 30, 2015 }}, PC World Magazine, Ian Paul, Jan 28, 2015</ref> however, YouTube supported the Flash-based video player for older web browsers and devices until 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=YouTube Flash app for TVs no longer available - YouTube Help|url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7379403?hl=en|access-date=2021-02-04|website=support.google.com|archive-date=February 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219030618/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7379403?hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Rich Internet Applications ===
{{Main|Rich Internet application}}
After Flash 5 introduced ActionScript in 2000, developers combined the visual and programming capabilities of Flash to produce interactive experiences and applications for the Web.<ref name="flex3dummies">{{cite book |last=McCune |first=Doug |date=2009-02-23 |title=Adobe Flex 3.0 For Dummies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lazbXwrxrasC |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0470436820|page=Chapter 1, "From HTML to RIA"}}</ref> Such Web-based applications eventually became known as "Rich Internet Applications"<ref name="flex3dummies" /> and later "Rich Web Applications".<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |url=http://download.macromedia.com/pub/flash/whitepapers/richclient.pdf |title=Macromedia Flash MX—A next-generation rich client |access-date=January 21, 2024 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112181736/http://download.macromedia.com/pub/flash/whitepapers/richclient.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2004, Macromedia Flex was released, and specifically targeted the application development market.<ref name="flex3dummies"/> Flex introduced new [[user interface]] components, advanced [[data visualization]] components, data remoting, and a modern IDE (Flash Builder).<ref name="flex3dummies"/><ref name="dvfb">{{cite book |last=Rocchi |first=Cesare |date=2011 |title=Data Visualization with Flash Builder |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iOOD9ttmbDEC |publisher=Focal Press |isbn=978-0240815039 }}</ref> Flex competed with [[Ajax (programming)|Asynchronous JavaScript and XML]] (AJAX) and [[Microsoft Silverlight]] during its tenure.<ref name="flex3dummies"/> Flex was upgraded to support integration with remote data sources, using [[Action Message Format|AMF]], [[BlazeDS]], [[Adobe LiveCycle]], [[Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud]], and others.<ref name="enterpriseflex">{{cite book |last=Fain |first=Yakov |date=2010-03-16 |title=Enterprise Development with Flex: Best Practices for RIA Developers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjCaK4jXOJEC |publisher=O'Reilly Media, Inc |isbn=978-1449388737 }}</ref>

Between 2006 and 2016, the [[Speedtest.net]] web service conducted over 9.0 billion speed tests with a utility built with Adobe Flash.<ref name="test">{{cite web|url=https://speedtest.net/|title=Speedtest.net by Ookla – The Global Broadband Speed Test|access-date=October 24, 2016|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129155654/https://www.speedtest.net/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://support.speedtest.net/hc/en-us/articles/203845270-What-are-the-requirements-to-use-Speedtest-net- What are the requirements to use Speedtest.net?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025054543/https://support.speedtest.net/hc/en-us/articles/203845270-What-are-the-requirements-to-use-Speedtest-net- |date=October 25, 2016 }}, Speedtest.net</ref> In 2016, the service shifted to HTML5 due to the decreasing availability of Adobe Flash Player on PCs.<ref>[https://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/12/07/the-worlds-most-popular-internet-speed-test-finally-drops-adobe-flash/ The world's most popular internet speed test finally drops Adobe Flash] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215123532/https://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/12/07/the-worlds-most-popular-internet-speed-test-finally-drops-adobe-flash/ |date=December 15, 2018 }}, The Next Web, Owen Williams, 7 December 2015</ref>

Developers could create [[rich internet application]]s and [[browser plugin]]-based [[applet]]s in ActionScript 3.0 programming language with [[integrated development environment|IDEs]], including Adobe Flash Builder, FlashDevelop and [[Powerflasher FDT]]. Flex applications were typically built using [[List of Flex frameworks|Flex frameworks]] such as PureMVC.<ref name="enterpriseflex"/>

===Video games===

{{Multiple image
| direction = vertical
| total_width = 250
| image1 = QWOP screenshot.jpg
| image2 = Greg gets 59m high score in Solipskier.webm
| image3 = Hundreds (video game) - Level 61.png
| footer = Screenshots and footage of Flash games ''QWOP'', ''Solipskier'', and ''Hundreds''
}}

[[Browser game|Flash video games]] were popular on the Internet, with portals like [[Newgrounds]], [[Kongregate]], and [[Armor Games]] dedicated to hosting Flash-based games. Many Flash games were developed by individuals or groups of friends due to the simplicity of the software.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Reeves|first=Ben|title=How Flash Games Changed Video Game History|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/12/22/how-flash-games-changed-video-game-history|access-date=2022-02-03|magazine=Game Informer|language=en|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921205129/https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/12/22/how-flash-games-changed-video-game-history|url-status=live}}</ref> Popular Flash games include ''[[FarmVille|Farmville]], [[Alien Hominid]], [[QWOP]]'', ''[[Club Penguin]]'', and ''[[Dofus]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Musil|first=Steven|title=It's game over for FarmVille, as Flash also buys the farm|url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/its-game-over-for-farmville-as-flash-also-buys-the-farm/|access-date=2022-02-03|website=CNET|language=en|archive-date=February 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203172652/https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/its-game-over-for-farmville-as-flash-also-buys-the-farm/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Alien Hominid (PS2) – ET palaa kotiin|url=http://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/alien-hominid-ps2/|access-date=2022-02-03|website=www.pelit.fi|date=June 2005|language=en|archive-date=February 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203192243/https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/alien-hominid-ps2/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Adobe introduced various technologies to help build video games, including Adobe AIR (to release games for desktop or mobile platforms), [[Adobe Scout]] (to improve performance), [[CrossBridge]] (to convert C++-based games to run in Flash), and [[Stage3D]] (to support GPU-accelerated video games). 3D frameworks like [[Away3D]] and [[Flare3D]] simplified creation of 3D content for Flash.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Adobe AIR allows the creation of Flash-based [[mobile game]]s, which may be published to the [[Google Play]] and [[App Store (Apple)|Apple]] app stores.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Adobe AIR|url=https://www.techspot.com/downloads/5059-adobe-air.html|access-date=2021-05-05|website=TechSpot|language=en-US|archive-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509193815/https://www.techspot.com/downloads/5059-adobe-air.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-24|title=Do I need Adobe AIR, or should I remove it? [Explained]|url=https://windowsreport.com/do-i-need-adobe-air/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life|language=en-US|archive-date=April 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412221347/https://windowsreport.com/do-i-need-adobe-air/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Adobe Flash Platform * Submitting your iPhone application to the App Store|url=https://help.adobe.com/en_US/as3/iphone/WS144092a96ffef7cc280a87821274fe4be12-8000.html|access-date=2021-05-05|website=help.adobe.com|archive-date=October 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019133528/https://help.adobe.com/en_US/as3/iphone/WS144092a96ffef7cc280a87821274fe4be12-8000.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Flash is also used to build interfaces and HUDs for 3D video games using [[Scaleform GFx]], a technology that renders Flash content within non-Flash video games. Scaleform is supported by more than 10 major video game engines including [[Unreal Engine 3]], [[CryEngine 3|CryEngine]], and [[PhyreEngine]], and has been used to provide 3D interfaces for more than 150 major video game titles since its launch in 2003.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

===Film and animation===
{{Main|List of Flash animated films|List of Flash animated television series}}

Notable users of Flash include [[DHX Media Vancouver]] for productions including ''[[Pound Puppies (2010 TV series)|Pound Puppies]], [[Littlest Pet Shop (2012 TV series)|Littlest Pet Shop]] and'' ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', [[Fresh TV]] for [[Total Drama]], [[Nelvana]] for ''[[6teen]]'' and ''[[Clone High]]'', [[Williams Street]] for ''[[Metalocalypse]]'' and ''[[Squidbillies]]'', [[Nickelodeon Animation Studio]] for ''[[El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera]]'', [[Starz Distribution|Starz Media]] for ''[[Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!]]'', [[Ankama|Ankama Animation]] for ''[[Wakfu: The Animated Series]]'', among others.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}