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How to Develop a Hit Facebook App: 29 Essential Tools and Tutorials
Introduction
"Wanted: Facebook App Developer" is one of the most popular programmer job-board postings of 2007. Seemingly everyone is trying to capitalize on the popularity of Facebook by developing their own integrated application in the hopes that it will go viral. Unfortunately, however, there still isn't a lot of good information available as to how to actually create a working Facebook app, not to mention a popular one. In this article, we provide you with the information you need to not only create an integrated Facebook application, but also with the resources necessary to better ensure that it is a successful one.
Analysis
Introductory Links: The Basics
Although Facebook's developer resources won't provide you with the depth of information needed to build something remarkable, it should be every new Facebook developer's first stop. The following resources will provide you with a solid foundation to begin developing and integrating your first app.
1. Anatomy of a Facebook Application: A quick overview of a Facebook application; useful to familiarize yourself with the process before starting out.
2. Facebook Developer's Platform: From documentation to resources and tools, this is your one-stop resource for achieving deeper integration between Facebook and your app.
3. Facebook Developer Documentation: A beginner resource for details of the API, as well as the Facebook query and markup languages.
4. Facebook Integration Points: Now that you have the background, Facebook's official application guide will show you the Do's and Don'ts of great user experience.
5. Facebook FAQ: Answers the questions that Facebook developers most often ask.
Tricks of the Trade
Having covered the basics of Facebook app development and integration, you'll want to start creating more complex applications and achieving more seamless integration. The following resources are essential reads for intermediate Facebook developers, as they'll help you avoid some of the common mistakes and pitfalls when developing more complex apps.
6. 5 Facebook Application Gotchas: These five tricks to creating an app include how to navigate the time-out glitch and preparing for the load Facebook will throw at your servers.
7. 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Developing My Facebook App: This list will help you navigate the errors of others and omissions in the official developer's guide rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
8. Developing Facebook Applications in C# with ASP.NET: Some essential steps and work-arounds that you won't find in the Facebook documentation; this will save you some time if you're writing a Facebook application using ASP.NET and C#.
9. How to Build a Facebook Application with RoR (Ruby on Rails): A quality step-by-step tutorial with screenshots.
10. Fist in Your Facebook: A good resource article covering lessons learned through trial and error development of an RoR Facebook app.
11. 5 Development Tips for the Facebook API: Five basic setup and bug work-around tips.
12. Facebook App Dev Podcast: A Facebook development podcast by veteran developers Derek Hatchard and Mike Mullen.
Code Samples, Discussion and Forums
Why reinvent the wheel if you can just borrow and share information with other developers? These code samples, discussion walls and forums will speed up the development process by facilitating collaboration with other Facebook developers.
13. Ruby on Rails Facebook Forum: A relatively active RoR Facebook forum.
14. Code Samples and Patches: CodePlex's Facebook developer toolkit code samples and patches.
15. The Facebook Platform Wiki: A user-created reference for Facebook platform developers.
16. Facebook Developer Forum: A real-time wall with a limited but growing user base (must be logged in to Facebook to access).
17. CodePlex: The Facebook Developer Toolkit is a full complement of components, controls and samples for developing applications using Facebook's API. The kit also includes C# and Visual Basic wrappers for the Facebook API to make application development simple, fun and quick.
18. Facebook Developer Toolkit Walkthrough: A step-by-step video development tutorial using CodePlex's Facebook developer toolkit.
19. AllFacebook: The unofficial Facebook blog, covering everything Facebook related, including app development.
Success and Marketing
A Facebook app is only worth developing if it actually gets used. Given that there are currently more than 1,500 applications available, there is plenty of competition. Going viral, however, isn't purely up to chance. Rather, by looking for common characteristics among other popular apps, as well as picking the brains of successful Facebook developers for tips, you can dramatically improve your chances for creating a Facebook app that people actually use.
20. 10 Tips for Releasing your Facebook Application and Maximizing Growth: This essential read for developers covers 10 important factors and promotional tools when launching your app.
21. The Top 105 Facebook Applications, Ranked: This ranking provides some good insight into what apps you'll be competing against, as well as what users like.
22. Insider Dev Tips from the Maker of the "Quizzes" App: An insightful interview about marketing from the creator of one of Facebook's most popular apps.
23. Tips for Developing a Successful Facebook App: This interview with the creator of the popular Free Gifts app is specifically focused on how to make your app popular.
24. The Top 20 Geographic Facebook User Bases: If you're developing an app, its good to know where your target audience is coming from. This article identifies users by geographic area.
25. Strategies for Going Viral: An article detailing the subsequent changes to Facebook's app-virality policy and how it is affecting app developers.
26. Mashable's Top 30+: A good source for determining what the average user finds attractive in a Facebook app.
27. The Costs of Facebook Popularity: The popularity of a Facebook app also has its costs. This article covers the potential financial costs of maintaining a successful Facebook app so that you know what you're getting into.
28. The Top 5 Facebook Apps: A quick summary of the top five apps with brief reviews. These give you some insight into what users are looking for.
29. Inside Facebook's Weekly Top 25 Apps: A rundown of the top 25 apps by user numbers, which is an excellent resource for determining what works when it comes to Facebook apps.
Conclusion
What are your tips and tricks for developing a hot Facebook app? Share your thoughts below.
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20 Comments
Thanks for the heads up about the links! All links have been verified, and as of July 2010 they are working properly.
thanks for this information
Hi,
Please let me know is there any API for Facebook offline messaging??
Appreciate your suggestions
For custom development of facebook apps contact http://www.vardhmansoft.com
For Custom programming contact me at nick at adventinteractive.co.uk
Thanks,
Nick
http://www.adventinteractive.co.uk
Hi there..
I was trying to develop a facebook app, that is basically a snake game.
however, the twist in the tale is that, the game can run parallel to my facebook home page, just like the chat window does.
that way, you can play as well as be aware of stuff going on.
can this be done at all? does facebook block apps that are like midgets(or act as pop ups).
someone please throw some light on how to proceed!!
thanks!
devajeetk@gmail.com
@devajeet kar What you need is something like chat but this can't be done right now. This is not so important issue though since alerts still come from the top of the page when somebody posts or sends you an message from within facebook. What you have to be able to do is "pause" and "resume" the application at any point in a similar way as mobile applications do, so if somebody leaves your page and comes back later, he won't lose half an hour of playing the game (e.g. credits). This is a little bit tricky for flash games.
For everyone else: If you want a very thorough video tutorial to get you started check this one: http://goo.gl/AawHr . Please twitt or facebook share if you like it :)
Thanks for lot of links and information. This links lelp me developing facebook application
Thanks for lot of links and information. This links lelp me developing facebook application
that is good
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Seems that Facebook changed the way that applications are created, please update your tutorial
Thanks for the post. Here’s an article that shows you how to create any type of business application and easily integrate it into your Facebook business page
http://blog.caspio.com/integration/create-a-custom-facebook-application-for-y...
You might want to read more on facebook application monitization strategies on http://www.mobicules.com/facebook-application-development/facebook-app-moneti.... Mobicules is a web and mobile applications development company in Noida, India with extensive capabilities at conceptualizing, developing, enhancing and maintaining web applications, mobile applications and social applications including Facebook application development. Mobicules’ domain expertise spans developing travel/trip planning sites, Social Networks, Facebook/OpenSocial applications, Mobile apps including android development and iphone application development
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main things is to develop a application which wil keep more engagement with users. Facebok have intentionally developed many social channels in there website, thing is to understand that concept, If you could build a powerful app but there is no way the app keep users engage with all these FB social channels then u r powerful app may fail. Many companies started working on this but didnt achieve anything because of this fact.
So work on social channels if u want to make good application on FB.
Thanks
Dhanesh Mane
Busted links in Intro...
"the proper study of mankind is man."
http://bigtimeapps.com/ sells good scripts for facebook applications... You could just buy from there and save time.
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