# About Adobe AIR

Adobe® AIR® is a multi-operating system, multi-screen runtime that allows you to
leverage your web development skills to build and deploy rich Internet
applications (RIAs) to the desktop and mobile devices. Desktop, television, and
mobile AIR applications can be built with ActionScript 3.0 using Adobe® Flex and
Adobe® Flash® (SWF based). Desktop AIR applications can also be built with HTML,
JavaScript®, and Ajax (HTML based).

You can find more information about getting started with and using Adobe AIR at
the Adobe AIR Developer Connection
(<https://web.archive.org/web/20170303194911/https://www.adobe.com/devnet/air.html>).

AIR enables you to work in familiar environments, to leverage the tools and
approaches you find most comfortable. By supporting Flash, Flex, HTML,
JavaScript, and Ajax, you can build the best possible experience that meets your
needs.

For example, applications can be developed using one or a combination of the
following technologies:

- Flash / Flex / ActionScript

- HTML / JavaScript / CSS / Ajax

Users interact with AIR applications in the same way that they interact with
native applications. The runtime is installed once on the user's computer or
device, and then AIR applications are installed and run just like any other
desktop application. (On iOS, a separate AIR runtime is not installed; each iOS
AIR app is a stand-alone application.)

The runtime provides a consistent cross-operating system platform and framework
for deploying applications and therefore eliminates cross-browser testing by
ensuring consistent functionality and interactions across desktops. Instead of
developing for a specific operating system, you target the runtime, which has
the following benefits:

- Applications developed for AIR run across multiple operating systems without
  any additional work by you. The runtime ensures consistent and predictable
  presentation and interactions across all the operating systems supported by
  AIR.

- Applications can be built faster by enabling you to leverage existing web
  technologies and design patterns. You can extend web-based applications to the
  desktop without learning traditional desktop development technologies or the
  complexity of native code.

- Application development is easier than using lower-level languages such as C
  and C++. You do not need to manage the complex, low-level APIs specific to
  each operating system.

When developing applications for AIR, you can leverage a rich set of frameworks
and APIs:

- APIs specific to AIR provided by the runtime and the AIR framework

- ActionScript APIs used in SWF files and Flex framework (as well as other
  ActionScript based libraries and frameworks)

- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

- Most Ajax frameworks

- Native extensions for Adobe AIR, which provide ActionScript APIs that provide
  you access to platform-specific functionality programmed in native code.
  Native extensions can also provide access to legacy native code, and native
  code that provides higher performance.

AIR dramatically changes how applications can be created, deployed, and
experienced. You gain more creative control and can extend your Flash, Flex,
HTML, and Ajax-based applications to the desktop, mobile devices, and
televisions.

For information about what is included in each new AIR update, see the Adobe AIR
Release Notes (<https://airsdk.harman.com/release_notes>).
