Instead, Flash found a niche as the dominant platform for online multimedia content, particularly for browser games. Flash was initially used to create fully-interactive websites, but this approach was phased out with the introduction of HTML5.
Adobe AIR enables full-featured desktop and mobile applications to be developed with Flash and published for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch.
Programmers can implement Flash software using an IDE such as Adobe Animate, Adobe Flash Builder, Adobe Director, FlashDevelop, and Powerflasher FDT. The ActionScript programming language allows the development of interactive animations, video games, web applications, desktop applications, and mobile applications. Adobe Flash Lite enabled viewing Flash content on older smartphones, but since has been discontinued and superseded by Adobe AIR. Adobe Flash Player (which is available on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux) enables end users to view Flash content using web browsers. End users view Flash content via Flash Player (for web browsers), Adobe AIR (for desktop or mobile apps), or third-party players such as Scaleform (for video games). Software developers may produce applications and video games using Adobe Flash Builder, FlashDevelop, Flash Catalyst, or any text editor combined with the Apache Flex SDK.
Artists may produce Flash graphics and animations using Adobe Animate (formerly known as Adobe Flash Professional). It allowed streaming of audio and video, and can capture mouse, keyboard, microphone, and camera input. Flash displays text, vector graphics, and raster graphics to provide animations, video games, and applications. outside ChinaLicenseProprietary Adobe Flash is a multimedia software platform used for production of animations, rich web applications, desktop applications, mobile apps, mobile games, and embedded web browser video players. (2005–2020) Macromedia (1996–2005)FutureWave (1993–1996)Target platform(s)Web browsers, iOS (via third-party software), Android, Windows, macOS, Linu圎ditor softwareAdobe AnimateFlash BuilderFlashDevelopPowerflasher FDTFlash CatalystScaleformPlayer softwareFlash PlayerAdobe AIROpenFLScaleformGnashLightsparkRuffleFormat(s)SWFFLVFLAProgramming language(s)ActionScriptApplication(s)AnimationBrowser gamesrich web appsDesktop appsMobile appsMobile gamesConsole gamesPC gamesStatusActive only for enterprise users and all users in China, discontinued everywhere else, i.e. Adobe FlashDeveloper(s)Harman International (2021–present for enterprise Flash Player users)Zhongcheng Network Technology Co., Ltd (2017–present)Adobe Inc. It is not to be confused with Adobe Shockwave. For the application/animation software, see Adobe Animate. Want more? Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Deprecated multimedia platform used to add animation and interactivity to websites This article is about the multimedia software platform. Continue Adobe animate cc 2015 highly compressed