Is Flex going away?

Question

So from what I have been reading recently, it appears that the Flex 3.6 API is the last release of the Flex API - meaning that there will be no future Flex API releases. It seems like ESRI is pushing the ArcGIS JavaScript API and their own ArcGIS Online web application. Yeah, I get it. JavaScript is THE coding language of choice on the web, and HTML 5 makes Flash obsolete, plus JavaScript is a better platform for mobile devices - no flash plugin required. But my concern is that the Flex API community is so huge that it makes me question whether the Flex API will go away for good or not. Is there any discussion about a third party (or open source) taking over the Flex API? Aren't there many folks out there who are too invested in Flex and thus a transition to JavaScript would be a huge endeavor, not to mention a waste of a good thing? When you compare the Flex Viewer to the JavaScript ...wait there is no JS Viewer, so you cannot make a comparison with something that doesn't exist. The Flex Viewer model is priceless don't you think - turn key out of the box Viewer, no coding required ..only configuration, and a deluge of downloadable widgets that are plug-and-play. So I don't mind switching to JavaScript but ESRI needs to produce a JS Viewer/model which is similar to the Flex Viewer. Unless ESRI's intentions are to force us to use the ArcGIS online viewer. Anyways I would like to hear your thoughts on this. What's the future look like for the Flex API / Flex Viewer?

WillHughes1 · Answer

Thanks Robert. I didn't know that an ArcGIS Online Organizational account comes with ArcGIS Desktop maintenance. All this time I've been missing out on all the great content on AGOL. Good to know!

rscheitlin · Answer

Will,

WAB is still in Beta but, so things can change yet. If you have active maintenance with esri ArcGIS products like ArcGIS Basic, standard, or Advanced, then you already have an ArcGIS Online Organizational account.

Also check this thread out Do you have to use AGOL to use WAB?‌

WillHughes1 · Answer

Thanks for the feedback Matt, Robert, and Bjorn. So as I understand it WebApp Builder (WAB) will require Portal or an ArcGIS Online subscription? Both of these are paid subscriptions or licensed so WAB will not be available to those of us who do not have Portal or an ArcGIS Online subscription? If this is correct, ESRI is locking out developers who don't work for an organization with these subscriptions/products.

RE: Flex API 3.7. ESRI will retire the Flex API at 3.7 but will the API  be turned over to the Open Source community for continued development after ESRI retires it?

I hope ESRI comes up with a better name than WebApp Builder.

Thanks.

Will