Editing SWF (section)

== Description ==
The main graphical primitive in SWF is the path, which is a chain of segments of primitive types, ranging from lines to [[Spline (mathematics)|splines]] or [[Bézier curve]]s. Additional primitives like rectangles, ellipses, and even text can be built from these. The graphical elements in SWF are thus fairly similar to [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]] and [[MPEG-4 BIFS]]. SWF also uses [[display list]]s and allows naming and reusing previously defined components.<ref name="compar"/>

The binary stream format SWF uses is fairly similar to [[QuickTime]] atoms, with a tag, length and payload{{snd}} an organization that makes it very easy for (older) players to skip contents they don't support.<ref name="compar">C. Concolato and J. C. Dufourd. "[http://perso.telecom-paristech.fr/~concolat/Papers/2002%20-%20WEMP%20-%20Comparison%20BIFS%20and%20others.pdf Comparison of MPEG-4 BIFS and some other multimedia description languages]". Workshop and Exhibition on MPEG-4, WEPM. 2002.</ref>

Originally limited to presenting vector-based objects and images in a simple sequential manner, the format in its later versions allows audio (since Flash 3) and video (since Flash 6).

Adobe introduced a new, low-level 3D API in version 11 of the Flash Player. Initially codenamed Molehill, the official name given to this API was ultimately [[Stage3D]]. It was intended to be an equivalent of [[OpenGL]] or [[Direct3D]].<ref name="Kaitila2011">{{cite book|author=Christer Kaitila|title=Adobe Flash 11 Stage3D (Molehill) Game Programming Beginner's Guide|year=2011|publisher=Packt Publishing Ltd|isbn=978-1-84969-169-7}}</ref>{{rp|9}} In Stage3D [[shader]]s are expressed in a low-level language called [[Stage3D#Features|Adobe Graphics Assembly Language]] (AGAL).<ref name="Kaitila2011"/>{{rp|57}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/what-is-agal.html|title=What is AGAL - Adobe Developer Connection|website=www.adobe.com}}</ref>