The
Starling
Handbook

Learn Starling
from its creator.

Buy Now

Learn the Basics. Develop faster. Become a master.

This book provides you with a one-stop-shop that contains every bit of information a Starling developer needs. Whether you are a raw recruit or you have been around since the very first beta — the Starling Handbook will have you covered.

Do you know the feeling?

When you are extremely familiar with a library or framework, it suddenly steps out of the way, allowing you to focus completely on the problem at hand.

That's when you become truly efficient as a developer.

With this book, I want to make you feel just like that when you work with Starling.

Daniel Sperl, creator of the Starling Framework

For Beginners ...

  • Get up to speed in just one afternoon!

  • Learn the basics about Adobe AIR & Starling.

  • Find out which IDE suits you best,
  • and learn how to set it up.
  • Create the game "Flappy Starling" from start to finish.
  • Get to know all parts of the API and how they fit together.

... and for experienced Developers

  • Learn tricks previously only known to Starling's inventor.
  • Save time via cookbook-like recipes for all tastes.
  • Prepare your app for a multitude of mobile devices.
  • Use Feathers to add leaderboards, volume sliders, etc.
  • Design your user interface with Starling Builder.
  • Become more efficient and bend Starling to your needs.

What others say about the book

Daniel has masterfully balanced keeping Starling Framework small and sleek, with source code that is readable and easy to understand, and a robust architecture that can be extended in so many interesting new ways.

With this Handbook, he has gathered an incredible wealth of knowledge while organizing it in a format that is both easy to digest and straightforward to apply in real world projects. Highly recommended!

Josh Tynjala, Open Source Developer, Feathers

Starling is a MUST HAVE framework for those wanting the best 2D accelerated graphics available on the web. The Adobe Flash Runtime engineering team consistently prioritizes Daniel's feedback, and he continues to provide significant input to help guide the direction of graphics in both Flash and AIR.

It's an honor to work with Daniel and our team is excited to see his continued progress with Starling and congratulates him on an epic milestone with the release the Starling Handbook!

Chris Campbell, Product Manager, Adobe

Like the developer community he’s built, Sperl’s writing is inviting, passionate and filled with great insights. Whether you’re just getting started making games or a seasoned developer aiming to learn new tricks of the trade, The Starling Handbook is a definitive go-to resource. With its clear code examples and brilliant anecdotes, you’re sure to learn something new and have fun while doing it!

Ross Przybylski, Founder & CEO of D20Studios

At MovieStarPlanet we've been using Starling since 2013 and thanks to frameworks such as DragonBones, Feathers and GAF that are also based on Starling, we've been able to take the visuals for our games that much further.

This book provides a thorough overview of how to use Starling, and takes the extra step to show you in detail how to leverage the more advanced features at the right pace.

Javier Abud Chavez, Principal Programmer at MovieStarPlanet

E-Book Edition

This digital download consists of various formats you can perfectly read on your computer, e-reader, smartphone or tablet.

  • Direct download: PDF, EPUB, MOBI
  • Upgrade to the Paperback Edition anytime
  • Covers Starling v2.7 and includes free updates for future versions

Furthermore, you will receive vouchers for various must-have software products. This can easily add up to 50$ and more in savings!

Do you prefer reading on paper?

The paperback edition is a separate purchase. As soon as you have downloaded the e-book, you can upgrade to paper at any time. Just follow the link that's provided as part of the e-book package!

  • 360 gorgeous, full-color pages
  • Manually optimized layout for print
  • Ships to over 70 countries and territories
  • Now only $24,99

Are you a true Starling fan? Then you simply need to get the paperback version. Read like a pro – on real paper!