Adobe announced the public beta of Adobe ColdFusion 8 software, code-named “Scorpio.”

The public beta release provides developers with the opportunity to begin building applications with new ColdFusion 8 features as well as test the existing applications on the new version. ColdFusion 8 lets developers write more applications in less time with fewer lines of code – and then tune these applications for optimum performance.

“ColdFusion 8 delivers several enhancements that boost day-to-day productivity,” said Brian Rinaldi, ColdFusion Developer, Distributed Computing Group, Sun Life Financial. “Features such as debugging and server monitoring accelerate routine development and maintenance—and can really make a difference when it comes to keeping service levels high and applications running smoothly.”

By leveraging Adobe Flex technology and Ajax-based components, ColdFusion 8 enables developers to design and deploy rich, engaging applications by integrating complex environments into intuitive interfaces. The new ColdFusion 8 development environment also features advanced Eclipse-based wizards and debugging, letting developers build applications and identify and fix problems easier than in previous versions. The ColdFusion 8 Server Monitor lets developers identify bottlenecks, allowing for tuning and improved performance.

ColdFusion 8 integrates with an extremely broad range of platforms and systems. This expanded support- including integration with .NET assemblies, support for Microsoft Windows Vista and new J2EE servers including JBoss - gives ColdFusion enhanced flexibility, interoperability, and scalability for a variety of applications in even the largest of enterprises. ColdFusion 8 also delivers significant performance gains over ColdFusion MX 7 and earlier versions of the product. Additionally, ColdFusion 8 applications interact with Adobe PDF documents and forms for a printable, portable way to intelligently capture and share information.