Take the 2-minute tour ×

A friend of my is a Flash designer and animator, and uses tools like Adobe Flash CS5. She want's to learn to do similar work in HTML5.

What tools and tutorials are available (free or commercial) to help her make the transition, using the skills she already possesses?

share|improve this question
This question doesn't belong here. Possibly more suited for stackoverflow.com || Aside from HTML5, I would take a look into jquery.com and google Jquery plugins and stuff.. there's loads of info and examples of what jquery can do. –  Joonas Dec 15 '11 at 12:11
Adobe explicity states that Edge Animate is not for Flash replacement. I wonder if they will ever produce a Flash replacement... –  user10207 Feb 21 '13 at 14:31
I agree with @Joonas regading jQuery. jQuery, CSS3 and <canvas> might be your best solution. –  Chris Burton Feb 21 '13 at 14:37

2 Answers 2

up vote 1 down vote accepted

Adobe is previewing Edge currently, which is a timeline-based (as opposed to frame-based) animation tool that will be quite familiar to a Flash user.

There is also Wallaby on Adobe Labs, which is the converter from Flash to HTML5 that will allow Flash developers to continue to develop in Flash but output to HTML5. Adobe seems pretty committed to a) supporting HTML5/CSS3/jquery development and b) making sure their tens of thousands of Flash developer customers are taken care of.

My somewhat-educated opinion is that Flash as an authoring environment will continue to be very important, not only as an HTML5 authoring tool, but for the creation of desktop and mobile device apps via Adobe AIR. Apps will become more and more important over the next few years, greatly reducing the importance of websites as we currently think of them.

I'm a maker more than a consumer, but I'm already transitioning to desktop and mobile apps (for example, Fotolia, Dropbox, SendNow, my bank, e-book reading) where they are available, in preference to going online in a browser. This is a trend that is as inevitable as the switch from BBS and proprietary services (Compuserve, The Source, anyone?) to web browsers was in the 90s, or the move from over-the-counter banking to ATMs, cash to plastic. Websites won't go away any time soon, but smart web developers will work to ensure that they are up to speed with mobile app development. That is the future.

I would suggest to your friend that she get the Edge and Wallaby previews and work with them while getting up to speed with HTML/CSS3/jquery on Lynda.com and Adobe TV.

share|improve this answer
I think Alan's prediction are as valid as any. I tend to take the opposite stance, thought. While Flash will be around for a long time as an authoring tool, it likely will not just magically pump out HTML5/JS/Canvas smoothly. Dreamweaver has never been able to output clean HTML, so I can't say I have high hopes that Flash can. Air has potential, though note for mobile apps, it still has to convert to native code. It will certainly have its uses, but will also be overkill in a lot of situations. –  DA01 Dec 16 '11 at 9:18

There aren't tools or tutorials to make the switch simple. They are two entirely different technologies.

"Similar work" also needs to be defined. Flash can do all sorts of different type of 'work' as can HTML5 and the rest.

In general, however, I'd say the primary replacement for using flash on web sites is to learn:

  • HTML
  • JavaScript + a library (jQuery being the most popular)
  • CSS

As for tutorials, that's where google helps. ;)

share|improve this answer

Your Answer


