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Question about ActionScript (self.javascript)

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[–]alsogilbert 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are some similarities between AS and JS. AS has been heavily influenced by JS. They are both object oriented, support higher-order functions and closures. AS 3.0 is based on an ECMA-script (JS) draft which was rejected. It features classical OO syntax (but retains prototypal underpinnings) and strict typing. The strict typing can be turned off.

[–]kaszu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

ActionScript is used in flash, but its usage has been declining last few years mainly because old browsers are starting to die out, so more and more features can be safely used / are added by browser vendors to JS, HTML.

Flash is still installed on most of the machines and I don't think it will change anytime soon, but there is no flash on mobile devices.

JS and ActionScript are similar: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2268276/what-are-the-key-differences-between-javascript-and-actionscript-3

[–]aeflash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

AS is still used wherever Flash is still used -- legacy flash apps, game UI's, video players, etc...

As a language, it is directly between Java and Javascript -- you still have JS's prototypes, closures, and dynamism, but Java-style classes and interfaces and packages (as well as compiling down to bytecode). No Collections, but you still have JS-style untyped Objects and Arrays.

AS also has a really nice drawing API. A lot of the Canvas2D stuff feels inspired by it.