Summary
This chapter looked at the core methods used within the component framework: createChildren(), commitProperties(), measure, updateDisplayList(), and layoutChrome(). You also learned how to tell your component to update itself when values are set externally via invalidateProperties(), invalidateSize(), and invalidateDisplayList().
You now better understand the advantages and disadvantages of straight inheritance, composition, and starting from scratch when it comes to choosing what (or what not) to extend your component from initially. This chapter also covered how to create an MXML component that doesn't extend from a subclass of the component framework but uses an interface called IMXMLObject.
Finally, you learned about deferred instantiation through a general class type or the use of IDeferredInstance and template components, which enable you to provide a greater level of flexibility in aspects of your components without compromising the overall structure or functionality.
You're almost done with the majority of the theory. We ramp up the code in the majority of the chapters from now on, so get your coding gloves on.
Onward....