Adobe Air for Mac

Overview of Adobe AIR for the Desktop

Adobe AIR is a cross-platform runtime that brings rich web applications to the desktop. It enables both developers and non-technical Mac users to run modern internet applications outside the browser, providing a desktop experience for web-based tools and services.

What developers can build

Developers can create desktop applications using standard web technologies such as HTML, XML, JavaScript, and Adobe Flex. They are free to use third-party or custom libraries instead of being restricted to Adobe’s own components, enabling greater flexibility and reuse when assembling functionality.

Benefits for everyday users

End users gain access to polished rich internet applications that launch from the desktop. These apps typically use little memory, start quickly, and include smooth animations and attractive graphics. Adobe’s Showcase Gallery highlights examples, including analytics dashboards, Twitter clients for the desktop, and movie-directory utilities.

Recent runtime and platform updates

• New Mac .pkg installer: A package-format installer is now available to simplify deployment and updates for system administrators on macOS.
• Compatibility testing for newer macOS: The runtime has been validated against the latest developer previews of OS X 10.9 to ensure continued stability and performance.
• High-resolution icons on Android: Added support for XXHDPI (144×144) application icons so apps look crisp on tablets and high-density displays.
• Stage API background restrictions: Certain Stage APIs related to GPU rendering can trigger a runtime error when used during background execution.
• Background execution behavior (iOS & Android): Changes clarify how background tasks behave when the renderMode is set to direct, particularly with Stage3D-based apps.
• Android Workers support: Worker APIs are now available on Android for swf-version 22 (namespace 3.9) and later; this feature is still maturing and has known issues.

Background execution and rendering — important considerations

When an AIR mobile app uses direct renderMode (Stage3D/OpenGL), background execution is limited:

• iOS: The OS forbids OpenGL/ES rendering calls while an app is in the background. Attempts to make such calls will result in the application being terminated by iOS.
• Android: The platform allows OpenGL/ES and other background tasks (for example, audio playback) while an app is backgrounded. The AIR runtime, however, may still throw errors if rendering APIs are invoked in the background.
• Recommendation: Avoid issuing rendering calls while the app is backgrounded to conserve device resources and prevent runtime errors.

Possible runtime message: error 3768 — a Stage3D (GPU rendering) API may not be used during background execution.

Notes about Android Workers

• Workers are supported on Android for SWF version 22 (namespace 3.9) and later.
• This capability is under active development; expect some limitations and reported issues while it stabilizes.

Iconography and deployment on macOS

• Icon support: Developers can include XXHDPI (144×144) icons so applications appear sharp on high-density Android devices such as large tablets.
• Administrator-friendly packaging: The new .pkg installer format makes it easier for IT teams to distribute and maintain Flash/AIR runtimes across macOS fleets.