Tutorial: Using Flex 2 with PHP

Thought Flex was just for Java applications? Think again, and check out Adobe Labs’ tutorial on using Flex 2 with PHP.

In a nutshell, a Flex application is mxml markup for the user interface, combined with ActionScript for the interaction logic, all compiled into the swf format.

In the tutorial, you access data from a database using PHP, then use PHP to write it out in XML. From your mxml you simply reference the PHP-generated XML as the data source, or in mxml-ese, the « HTTPService ». The mxml builds your interface using Flex components, all a quite familiar looking Flash-like user interface.

If you’ve stayed away from Flex because you’re not into Java, this well done introduction for PHP fans may convince you otherwise.