6.1. Introduction

ActionScript is the internal programming language that Flash designers and developers use to add interactivity to projects. Sometimes a linear progression through the Timeline with animations that never vary is not enough. ActionScript can add variety, randomness, and user input and control to the mix.

Introduced in Flash 2, interactive control of Flash has been around for a long time. Flash 4 included support for written scripts. Flash 5, unveiled in 2000, contained the first reasonably full-featured version of a scripting language. This language was called ActionScript and was retroactively named ActionScript 1.0 (AS1) later on.