ActionScript is an object-oriented scripting language used to create high-level animation and interactivity for web pages, particularly with Adobe Flash. It can be used to create animations, navigation menus, and website slideshows. External ActionScript files can be loaded into Flash, and there are three file extensions related to ActionScript: .FLA, .AS, and .SWF. The language is similar to JavaScript and Java and was developed to be easy to learn and powerful. Some developers avoid it due to reliance on the Flash player and browser compatibility issues.
ActionScript® is a full-featured, object-oriented scripting language in which web developers can code scripts to achieve high-level animation and interactivity for web pages. It is the programming language behind Adobe® Flash®, software used not only to create animated and interactive web pages, but also to create highly graphic, animated and “flashy” websites. When using Flash®, you don’t need to actually know the ActionScript® language, due to the graphical environment in which files are encoded.
Animations, drop-down navigation menus, images that fade and reappear after a set number of seconds, and website slideshows are just some of the things you can achieve using applications written in ActionScript®. Status bars or indicators can also be designed in Flash® to show visitors the loading status of a web page. These applications can be coded “behind the scenes” within the Adobe® Flash® program or in external ActionScript® files, which can be coded in a simple text editing program. External ActionScript® documents can be loaded or imported into Flash® (.FLA) files if a developer so desires. This may also be necessary depending on the type of application written and the specific version of Flash® being used.
There are three file extensions related to ActionScript®: .FLA, .AS, and .SWF. The Flash® program creates .FLA and .SWF files. The .FLA document is the source file that can be opened and edited in Flash® but it is not the file that actually plays in the Flash® player. Files ending with .SWF are those managed by the player and produce what users see if they are watching a presentation or if they are visitors to a website that uses this scripting language. Documents ending with .AS are external files that contain code written in ActionScript®.
Created by Gary Grossman, ActionScript® bears similarities to JavaScript, another scripting language widely used in front-end web development, and Java, a full C-based programming language. Not all Flash® developers take the time to learn the ActionScript® language, but those who code applications that use classes and subclasses learn it. The language was developed to be easy to learn and powerful, and to be used to write applications for playing games on a multi-browser platform — Flash®. Some web developers, however, shy away from using the language because they have to rely on the free but proprietary player to test scripts, and because not all versions of the player are bug-free on all browsers.
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