jQuery Versus Flash

Nowadays, more and more people are trying to figure out which is the best method of creating a website and it seems that Flash and jQuery always stand out. These platforms are not exactly the same, but people tend to compare their capabilities because you can use either one of them for creating very interesting effects. Let’s take a closer look at the differences and see which one is better.

Browser Compatibility

One of the biggest problems that Flash has is compatibility. On a freshly installed operating system, viewing Flash content is not possible, so your website might be overlooked if the user doesn’t want to install the Flash plug in. This is a big disadvantage for Flash, but since this was the first platform to come out, most people already have the plug in installed on their computer and viewing these websites is not a problem.

Animation and Graphic Complexity

While jQuery might be easier to use and learn as an up and coming developer, flash experts can create more complicated transitions and effects through their platform. The limitations are only set by their imagination and creating something completely unique even after seeing thousands of websites is not a problem for a Flash specialist. jQuery is getting better in this department day after day, but there is still a noticeable gap between the two platforms. 3D capabilities are only available in Flash, which is certainly a big advantage.

User Experience

In most cases, a jQuery website will load quicker than a Flash one simply because the file size is usually smaller. Flash websites tend to consume more resources and the final file size is a little bit larger. However, those who have a decent internet connection and a medium range computer won’t notice the difference. This is only a problem for people who have a very poor internet connection or a very old machine.

Miscellaneous

One of jQuery’s biggest problems is that the source code is not protected. Once you put it up on your website, anyone can copy your work and use it on their domain. In the case of Flash, this is not a problem and getting to the source code is nearly impossible.

When targeting users who are browsing the internet through their phone, jQuery has the upper hand since Flash is not supported on most mobile devices. Even so, creating a mobile version for your Flash website is not a complicated job.

Conclusion

In the end, there is no clear winner in the battle between Flash and jQuery. Both of these platforms are useful for certain situations and each one of them comes with a set of advantages and disadvantages. You will have to figure out which one is best for you depending on your particular needs and your skill level. Most websites will obtain great results through both of these platforms and you will only feel the need to use one or the other when you are looking for a particular effect.