RIA or Rich Internet applications are those applications that have the same features or functions as the conventional desktop applications, and that it transfers the necessary data to the user interface more quickly. RIAs run in web browsers. It may or may not require software installation. It requires a secure environment, namely sandbox to run on the web browser. RIAs are developed with a number of technologies to make the user experience smoother and better. Given below are some of the high-end technologies for RIA development.



Adobe Flash and Flex: Adobe's Flex and Flash are the most popular tools for RIA development. These cross platform technologies can make interactive and attractive web pages efficiently. Flash supports audio and video and coupled with a scripting language, Action Script that is highly effective for better client interaction on the web.

Adobe Flex comes with a software development kit that can make interesting buttons, trees, data grids, list boxes, layout containers and many more.

Ajax: After Adobe Flash and Flex, Ajax is the second most popular tool to make RIAs. This is script based RIA tool. With this tool, the developers can retrieve the data directly from the server without interfering in the current web page graphics and display. The major reason for the growing popularity of Ajax is its friendliness with all web browsers without any additional plugins. Moreover, Ajax made websites are Google search engine friendly and supports client side scripts.

Microsoft Silverlight: Silverlight provides rich graphics with animation display. It supports HTML interaction, XAML integration, and multimedia.
The tool is compatible with a number of web browsers, based on operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is also supported by Windows Mobile 6 for worldwide smart phone users.

JavaFX: This platform is offered from Sun Microsystems. There are two versions of this application: JavaFX Script and JavaFX Mobile. The first one helps the designers to make quick web applications for clients such as desktops, mobile devices, and home electronic gadgets. The latter, on the other hand, is a dedicated resource for mobile-based applications.

OpenLaszlo: This is an open source platform, with which development and delivery of rich Internet applications are done. Certified under Common Public License, this open source application platform consists of OpenLaszlo server and LZX programming language. The applications can run as the conventional Java servlets, for which OpenLaszlo server is mostly required.

Google Gears: Google beta software for RIA development is Google Gears. This application helps a designer the access any service offline that works only online. It installs database engine on the client's system, so that it can fetch data from the cache rather than on the web.

To get your own Rich Internet Application built, visit http://www.rizecorp.com/.

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