Basic FAQs
The 2023 Release of Adobe ColdFusion Enterprise Edition is the premier platform for rapid application development that makes hard things easy for every coder. Beginner, intermediate or advanced developer, it empowers you to build high-performing, enterprise-ready applications that can scale dynamically to meet all your business needs. Stay relevant and competitive by using zero code rewrites to deploy your applications on the AWS, Azure, or GCP clouds. Build applications that are secure, risk-free, and deliver a seamless experience, always. Enjoy an API management platform that prioritizes high performance, control, and security.
CFML is the language that developers use to build ColdFusion applications. CFML offers extensive scripting capabilities. It also supports tag-based syntax that closely resembles HTML and XML, so it is ideally suited to programming applications that use these markup languages. It is easy to learn yet powerful enough to handle the most demanding web application logic.
Advanced developers can extend and customize CFML through custom tags, reusable object-based components, and user-defined functions, as well as integrate with Java, .NET, SOAP web services, REST, and more.
ColdFusion is designed for web developers who build dynamic websites and Internet applications.
Java developers can rapidly build Java EE–based web applications using Adobe ColdFusion Enterprise. Tight and two-way integration with Java lets you call Java from ColdFusion and vice versa.
Mobile app developers will love the way ColdFusion lets them easily and quickly develop, test, debug, and deploy applications across multiple devices with minimum effort.
Developers who have just started developing applications for the web can benefit from the ColdFusion productivity features and its intuitive scripting and tag-based language, CFML.
Adobe ColdFusion Builder extension for Visual Studio Code, the all-new Adobe ColdFusion Builder extension for VS Code, helps developers to edit and validate code, manage files and projects, and debug and scan for security vulnerabilities. ColdFusion Builder extension provides a unified, customizable, and extensible development environment to code applications, manage servers, and deploy projects. ColdFusion pages are simple text files, just like HTML pages, so you can develop them with any text editor.
There are many online and in-person training opportunities for ColdFusion. A great place to start is the Getting Started section of the ColdFusion Developer Center on Adobe Developer Connection. Discover the power ColdFusion has to offer by browsing code snippets, examining sample applications, and seeing new features in action. Adobe also offers several training and certification programs.
There are training and event videos available in the ColdFusion YouTube Channel. The ColdFusion Community portal offers a powerful tool for building and strengthening communities, fostering collaboration, and driving growth and innovation.
Learn CF in a Week is a community driven training program that teaches all the basics you need to be a ColdFusion Developer in one week.
Electronic versions of all documents are available and accessible online at ColdFusion Help and Support. However, printed documentation is not available with Adobe ColdFusion Enterprise.
Adobe publishes a partial list of partners committed to delivering hosting solutions for ColdFusion. View the ColdFusion hosting partners page.
Adobe ColdFusion also has published AMI images on Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure VMI.
ColdFusion is built on top of the Java stack. It is a powerful application server that you can use to rapidly build Java EE–based web applications. Adobe ColdFusion Enterprise offers tight integration with Java, so it is straightforward to call Java from ColdFusion and vice versa. For more information about the Java integration, see the ColdFusion Help and Support.
Installation, deployment, and platforms
The Adobe ColdFusion runtime environment is a Java application that takes advantage of many powerful services in the Java EE platform to connect to databases, manage security, and process application requests. When Adobe ColdFusion (2021 release) Enterprise Edition is installed in the Java EE configuration on top of a Java application server, it uses the server’s Java EE infrastructure to execute ColdFusion applications as pure Java bytecode. Developers can then continue to develop and deploy ColdFusion pages while easily managing ColdFusion server settings using the ColdFusion Administrator.
Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) supports IBM® WebSphere, Oracle® WebLogic, Adobe JRun, Apache Tomcat, and JBoss. For details, see the systems support matrix.
Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) supports most major databases, including Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2, Sybase, and IBM Informix. For a complete list of supported databases, see the systems support matrix.
Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) supports most major web servers, including IIS, Apache, and Sun™. For a complete list of supported web servers, see the systems support matrix.
No. Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) cannot be run as a 32-bit application on the 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows, Sun Solaris, Linux, and Mac OS. For details about supported platforms, see the ColdFusion system requirements.
Integration with other products and technologies
No. Adobe ColdFusion (2021 release) uses CFML to build applications. ColdFusion makes it possible to take advantage of the power of Java application servers without learning complex technologies, such as the Java language, JavaServer Pages (JSP), Java servlets, or Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB). If you are already using Java, ColdFusion can use virtually any existing Java libraries or classes because it is compiled straight to Java Virtual Machine bytecode, just like Java source code.
Yes. You can use ColdFusion to call local or remote Microsoft .NET assembly classes as CFML objects. ColdFusion applications can use .NET assemblies to directly access and control Microsoft products (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint), use existing .NET components, or use .NET assemblies that you create to leverage features that are difficult to use or not available in ColdFusion or Java.
Adobe ColdFusion Builder extension for Visual Studio Code, the all-new Adobe ColdFusion Builder extension for VS Code, helps developers to edit and validate code, manage files and projects, and debug and scan for security vulnerabilities. ColdFusion Builder extension provides a unified, customizable, and extensible development environment to code applications, manage servers, and deploy projects. ColdFusion pages are simple text files, just like HTML pages, so you can develop them with any text editor.
Complimentary ColdFusion Standard for education
Complimentary Adobe ColdFusion Standard is available to all eligible education customers for learning purposes only, not for production purposes. Students, faculty, and staff can get serial numbers to activate downloadable trial versions by sending a mail to this address. Attach a copy of your student ID, faculty ID, or employee ID, or a letter on institutional letterhead proving your current affiliation. When validated, you are emailed a complimentary educational serial number for Adobe ColdFusion Standard. It can take up to two weeks after your request to receive the serial number.
One of the following documents must be uploaded during registration to prove eligibility:
- Student ID showing current enrollment
- Faculty ID showing current employment
- Employee ID showing current employment
- Statement on educational institution letterhead confirming student, employee, or faculty member status
Scanned copies must be formatted as a GIF or PDF file.
You can send a mail for up to 30 education serial numbers for student lab learning purposes.
Yes. Adobe ColdFusion for education is available for purchase. The paid version of Adobe ColdFusion for education does not have the restriction that it must be used only for learning purposes.
No. Platinum Maintenance and Support and Upgrade Plans are only available for purchase to customers who have a paid license for Adobe ColdFusion Standard.
Complimentary installation support is available. Developer or Technical Support plans for issues beyond installation support are available for purchase. Visit the U.S. Adobe support programs page http://www.adobe.com/support/programs or the U.K. Adobe support programs page http://www.adobe.com/uk/support/programs/ for additional information.
Pricing, editions, and upgrading
ColdFusion 2016, 2018, and 2021 release, easily migrate to ColdFusion (2023 release). For details on migrating to ColdFusion (2023 release), see the migration guide.
Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) is available for purchase online from the Adobe Store and through our network of partners and resellers. View Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) purchasing information.
Adobe ColdFusion (2023 release) is sold in two editions: Standard Edition costs US$2,499 per two cores, and Enterprise Edition costs US$9,499 per eight cores. ColdFusion can also be used for development at no cost with the complimentary Developer Edition, a full-featured server for development use only.
You may also purchase ColdFusion Enterprise Edition on a per virtual core metric to deploy ColdFusion on the cloud or VMs. Reach out to adobecoldfusion@adobe.com for more details.
ColdFusion Enterprise Edition is the solution for delivering high-performing websites and applications in a clustered or virtualized environment. Also, it provides deep insight into the performance of your websites and applications. ColdFusion Standard Edition is the solution for delivering a robust website with moderate volumes of traffic on a single server. Some features are available only with ColdFusion 2023 Enterprise Edition, and some features in ColdFusion 2023 Standard Edition are limited by performance through one shared simultaneous request. To learn more about the product editions, visit the product editions page.
Special upgrade pricing is available to those customers who have a valid ColdFusion (2021 release) license. Customers running ColdFusion 2018 or earlier are not eligible for upgrade pricing.
- To upgrade to ColdFusion (2023 release) Enterprise, see http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion-enterprise/buying-guide.html
- To upgrade to ColdFusion (2023 release) Standard, see http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion-standard/buying-guide.html
You might be eligible for a complimentary upgrade to ColdFusion (2023 release). To find out more, call Customer Service at 800-833-6687 or submit your request via the web.
If you have a current ColdFusion subscription or maintenance plan, you should have received an email or letter with instructions. If you did not, contact Customer Service and include your ColdFusion serial number in your request.
ColdFusion Enterprise Edition allows a maximum of eight containers to be used for every Enterprise license, provided the underlying instance is licensed as per the ColdFusion End User Licensing Agreement (EULA).
ColdFusion and Performance Monitoring Toolset
Control and optimize with the all-new, powerful Performance Monitoring Toolkit — a stand-alone server with low overhead. Use end-to-end visibility into your applications, to monitor and troubleshoot server, database, and network issues before they affect customers — in minutes.
Performance Monitoring Toolset is available as part of both Enterprise and Standard edition.
Performance Monitoring Toolset could be installed on the same machine as the Server but it is advised to install it on another machine to monitor the application.