Where to Download Apache Flex and Find Its Community Resources

Updated

The official Apache Flex site (flex.apache.org) is the starting point for both downloads and community participation. From its Download section you can get the Flex SDK Installer, SDK source code, SDK binaries, the FlexJS beta, FlexUnit, BlazeDS source, Tour De Flex source, Squiggly spell checker, and Flex utilities, plus previous versions. The Community section links to mailing lists, the blog, the Flex Showcase, and a third-party wiki, while Development links to source code, the bug tracker, the developer FAQ, and documentation.

Downloading Apache Flex

The download page groups files by audience, which helps you pick the right one:

Download Intended for
Flex SDK Installer Application developers who want a guided SDK setup
SDK Source Code SDK developers working on the framework itself
SDK Binaries SDK developers who want prebuilt binaries
FlexJS 'beta' Application developers
FlexUnit Application developers (unit testing)
BlazeDS Source Code Messaging/remoting source
Tour De Flex Source Code Source for the Tour De Flex sample explorer
Squiggly Spell Checker Spell-checking utility
Flex Utilities Supporting utilities
Previous Versions Older SDK releases

If you just want to build an app, start with the Flex SDK Installer. If you plan to modify or extend the framework, take the SDK Source Code or SDK Binaries instead.

Community Channels

The site's Community section points to:

  • Mailing Lists — the primary support and discussion channel
  • Blog — project news and updates
  • Flex Showcase — desktop and mobile apps built with Flex; you can submit a request to have your own app listed
  • Third-Party Wiki — community-maintained material
  • How to get involved — guidance for contributing

For development-specific questions, the Developer FAQ and Documentation (Getting Started, Using Flex, Videos, Flex ASDocs, FlexUnit Tutorials, FlexUnit ASDocs) sit under Development alongside the Source Code and Bug-Tracker.

One Important Constraint Before You Download

The site carries a clear notice: Flash Player in the browser is ending — Adobe and the major browser vendors (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge) announced they would stop supporting the Flash Player runtime at the end of 2020. If your goal is browser output, the project directs you to its sister project Apache Royale, which lets you keep using ActionScript while outputting native JavaScript and HTML.

Flex output to mobile and desktop through the Adobe AIR runtime (provided by Harman) is still supported, so AIR-targeted work remains a valid path.

Licensing and Tooling Notes

Apache Flex is released under the Apache License, version 2.0, and is backed by the Apache Community for updates and support. Development uses MXML for layout and AS3 for coding, with Eclipse-based IDEs such as Adobe Flash Builder and FDT among the tooling options mentioned on the site.

Practical Next Steps

  1. Decide your target: browser (consider Apache Royale instead), or desktop/mobile via Adobe AIR.
  2. Go to the Download section and choose the Flex SDK Installer for app development, or SDK source/binaries if you're working on the SDK.
  3. Join the Mailing Lists for support, and bookmark the Developer FAQ, ASDocs, and Bug-Tracker for ongoing work.
  4. Check the Flex Showcase for examples of what others have built, and submit your own app if you want it listed.