OpenFlux offers Flex developers an open source component framework based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture. The library has a set of components that currently includes Buttons, Lists, and ScrollBars. The goal of OpenFlux is to make it easy to “dramatically” customize components within a Flex application, without fear of breaking other parts of the component
Ben Stucki, the project founder, describes the component model this way:
Ben Stucki, the project founder, describes the component model this way:
Each component in OpenFlux is comprised of three core parts which work together to define the API (Model), graphics (View), and behavior (Controller) of a component. At first glance I’m sure this seems like it may be overkill for creating a component, and it does add a little bit of complexity. However, there is a huge advantage in that you can very quickly and easily add entirely custom graphics and/or behavior to a component without having to worry about rewriting or breaking the existing pieces.Project contributor, Ryan Campbell, discusses the differences between the standard Flex components and the OpenFlux components:
The general difference between an OpenFlux component and the current Flex components is that the logic is separated in to a MVC architecture. This allows you to easily swap out one part of a component while keeping the functionality of the others. A List component goes a step further and separates the layout logic so you can easily invent new ways to layout your list items.In Ben Stucki’s post announcing the release earlier this year, he detailed the motivations for building OpenFlux:
The real purpose of OpenFlux is to be customized and used in your projects. Using a viewless component system means that you can create dramatically new and interesting components quickly and easily, without having to worry about breaking the other parts of the component. Ever spent days hacking away at the Accordian, TabNavigator, or List components? Me too, that’s why I built this. The answer isn’t to make everything protected, it’s to have a better component model!If you are interested in learning more about OpenFlux, InsideRIA has a good post that walks through getting started with the framework. Also, theflexshow.com posted an audio interview earlier this year with Ben Stucki.
