Adobe Flash: Why Your Website Needs Less Flash!

Adobe Flash is undeniably a powerful tool used in the creation of several web based applications. For years Flash dominated the web as the go to tool for video and animation creation. However, Flash has become less popular among developers because of several security issues and bugs that continue to plague the once indomitable software. Mozilla recently announced that it would begin blocking Flash based content on its popular browser Firefox because of security flaws that could possibly compromise a user’s operating system (OS). Mozilla’s support site quickly pointed out its contention with Flash and the reason it no longer supports the use of this type of content on its browsers:

“Some Websites use Adobe Flash to display content. However, attackers can also use the security flaws in Flash to run malicious software on your computer and gain access to your system.”

The security vulnerabilities presently affecting Flash based content has the potential to completely compromise the three leading Operating Systems – Windows, Apple and Linux. This has led to outcries for the end of the waning technology which has become more problematic in recent years.

Former CEO of Apple led the wave of opposition to Flash. In 2010 he penned an open letter which described in clear detail his disdain for the technology. iPhones, iPods and iPads are noticeably unable to display Flash based content. He rightfully concluded that Abode Flash was ultimately responsible for crashing Mac computers because of interminable security vulnerabilities. This he declared led to his decision to ban its use on the tech giant’s mobile devices.

Plagued by Performance Issues

Adobe Flash content at its core uses a vast amount of computer resources. This leads to reduced battery life on laptops, tablets and smart phones and less available RAM to run other applications. As a result Google no longer auto plays Flash based content with the exception of Flash based videos.

What Are The Alternatives?

Javascript, HTML5 and CSS3 have improved on their individual technologies allowing developers to take advantage of their open source tools. This means designers can still enjoy all the benefits of tantalizing layouts without the risk of OS security breaches. The improvements to HTML5 and CSS3, in particular, offer designers and developers the opportunity to exploit these technologies to create interactive layouts that mimic many Flash based animations. Subsequently, for web development, there is no longer a need to seriously compromise the security of your website for the flash of a declining technology.