Development efficiency vs Flex

[lambert]

extjs is a great js framework, the component is very nice and practical.It is a star in the js world.
But if you used the flex, you will feel the extjs's Development efficiency is slow than flex.

I think one reason is extjs than flex higher learning curve(reflected in the interactive and background),and flex have perfect IDE.

I admire jack , one a person can do such a wand out thing.However, the limited ability of one person.Extjs need more outstanding staff development to improve it , especially the development of efficiency.

I hope extjs can be come super star not only a star.The super star bring more beautiful ui component,more practical function,more fast speed development,more.....

I had too?haha......

[haibijon]

I work with Flex (in fact just checking out the new Flex Builder 3 beta atm) and have to disagree with you a bit. The fact that flex still relies too heavily on mxml makes reusing different aspects of a Flex application nearly impossible at times. I've found its much easier/faster to code/prototype using Ext, simply because of its OO nature. I find that ActionScript 3.0's hard-typed nature and verbos style tend to take up more time than Ext, or even JS in general. Plus, I'm a firm believer in being able to clean up code, and simplify execution with chained method calls, something that ActionScript/Flex doesn't provide natively.

I don't believe Ext has a very high learning curve, honestly. I think its more the OO techniques and design which Ext uses which makes it seem daunting, and if you don't understand that method of coding of course its going to have a steep curve, but that's not the lib, its simply the development methodology, something with Flex/ActionScript doesn't address very well IMHO.

I've recently begun working on a project using Adobe AIR (new beta was released last night) and think that being able to combine JS and AS, as well as being able to utilize script bridging between Flex and HTML/JS apps is really the ideal situation. And, as the Adobe AIR developers have said themselves, when writing an HTML/JS AIR app, Ext is the way to go.

And, as for Adobe's 'perfect' IDE. It really irks me that they're selling the damn thing for an exorbitant amount when it's basically just a Flex customized eclipse. I've got all my Flex/AIR compiling and building down with free TextMate bundles, no need for Adobe's proprietary bloat. Not to mention Flex Builder's poor scrit debugging. I'll take Aptana w/ its firebug integration over Flex Builder any day.

I hope that with Adobe's upcoming releases, as well as Ext's, that we'll really be seeing the next step in web and desktop application development.

[jon.whitcraft]

And, as the Adobe AIR developers have said themselves, when writing an HTML/JS AIR app, Ext is the way to go.

Just a side note on that for everyone. But Jack and Brian are working closely with Adobe on the AIR/Apollo framework to make sure Ext JS works 100% in the framework.

Jon

[haibijon]

I'm working on a side project right now, and Ext is beautiful in AIR. What I think is really cool, is just how much faster/smoother the animations are in the AIR version of WebKit when compared to the safari equivalent. Also, the Ext debug console is a must, its makes debugging ActionScript script bridging a snap.

I'm working on some Ext AIR ActionScript 3.0 native object wrapper classes, and will probably post in a few days when I finish adding the new additions to AIR beta.