Learning Facebook Application Development

Table of Contents

• Preface

• Chapter 1: Getting to Grips with the Facebook Platform
  • The Purpose of the Facebook Platform
    • The Standard Web Application Model
    • The Facebook Web Application Model
  • The Facebook Platform Elements
    • The Facebook API
      • The Facebook API Test Console
    • FBML
      • The FBML Test Console
    • FQL
  • Obtaining the Facebook Client Libraries
  • Adding the Developer Application
  • Setting Up Your Application
    • Required Fields
    • Optional Fields
      • Base Options
      • Installation Options
      • Integration Points
  • Summary

• Chapter 2: Building a Facebook Application
  • A Simple Facebook Application
    • Getting the Server Ready for Action
    • Creating Your First Facebook Application
      • The Application Initiation Code
      • The Application Code
      • Viewing the New Application
  • Developing the Simple Application
    • Examining Variables
    • Using FQL in Your Application
  • Writing to the Facebook Profile
    • Updating the Facebook Cache
  • Mock AJAX and Your Facebook Profile
    • Using a Form on Your Profile
    • Creating a Dynamic Combo-Box
    • Limiting Access to the Form
  • Storing Data—Keeping Files on Your Server
    • Storing FBML on Your Server
    • Storing Data on Your Server
  • Summary

• Chapter 3: Databases, Dashboards, and the Profile
  • Setting up the Database
    • Setting the Root Password
    • Creating the Database
    • Adding a User
    • A Table for Our Data
    • Migrating Data
  • Accessing the Database from Your Facebook Application
    • Connecting to the Database
      • Using a Remote Database
    • Running Queries on the Database
      • Obtaining Data from the Database
      • Inserting Data into the Database
      • Deleting Data from the Database
    • Analyzing the Database
      • Calculating the Number Items in a Table
      • Grouping and Ordering Data
  • Updating Everyone's Profile
    • Updating the Facebook Cache—Remotely
      • Obtaining the Application Session ID
      • Using the Session ID to Write to a Profile
    • Updating More Than One User's Profile
    • Automating the Facebook Cache Update
      • A Simple Batch File
      • Using At Command to Control the Batch File
      • Using Cron to Control the Batch File
      • Pros and Cons of the Methods
  • Tracking Users
    • A Table for Your Users
    • Finding Your Application ID
    • Adding New Users
    • Removing a User
      • Defining a Post-Remove URL
    • Producing a List of Users
  • The Facebook Dashboard
    • Adding a Dashboard
      • Adding Help to the Dashboard
      • Adding an Action to the Dashboard
      • The Dashboard Create Button
  • Facebook JavaScript
    • The Facebook Contextual Dialog
  • Summary

• Chapter 4: Cooking User Data
  • How to Fetch User Data
    • FBML
      • fb:name
      • fb:pronoun
      • fb:profile-pic
      • fb:user
    • Logical Tags
      • fb:is-in-network
      • fb:if-can-see
      • fb:if-can-see-photo
      • fb: if-is-friends-with-viewer
      • fb:is-if-group-member
      • fb:is-own-profile
      • fb:if-is-user
      • fb:if-user-has-added-app
      • fb:if-is-app-user
  • FQL
    • Let's Have a Look at the Schema
    • JOIN as Sub Query
    • Effective Searching with Structures
    • Common Snippets
      • Find All the friends of a User
      • Find All Friends Who Have the Current Application Installed
      • Find All Friends Whose Birthday Is Tomorrow
      • Find Which Groups a Specific User Is Subscribed To
      • Find All the Photos Uploaded by the User and in Any Album
    • Functions You can Use in FQL
  • Using Facebook API to Retrieve Information
    • Retrieving Profile Information
    • Retrieving List of Friends
    • Finding Out If Some Users are Friends
    • Retrieving Group Member's Information
    • Retrieving a User's Photo
  • Facebook Developers Tool
  • Summary

• Chapter 5: FBJS—The JavaScript
  • How FBJS Works
    • DOM Manipulation Using FBJS
    • DRY Means Don't Repeat Yourself
    • Managing Stylesheet with FBJS
    • Creating a Drop-Down Menu in FBJS
  • Dialog
    • Displaying Information
    • Accepting User Input
    • Contextual or Pop Up?
    • Advanced Input System Using Dialogs
  • Events
  • AJAX
    • Common Tasks
      • Posting Parameters to Server Side Code
      • Posting Multibyte Characters
      • Canceling an AJAX Request
      • Making Sure that Users have to Log In for the AJAX Request
  • Summary

• Chapter 6: Feeds
  • What Are Feeds?
  • How to Publish Feeds
  • Sample Application to Play with Feeds
    • So How Did it Work?
  • Publishing News Feed
  • Difference between These Two Methods
  • feed_publishTemplatizedAction
  • Summary

• Chapter 7: Invitations and Notifications
  • Invitations
    • fb:request-form
    • fb:req-choice
    • fb:request-form-submit
    • fb:multi-friend-selector
    • fb:multi-friend-input
    • fb:application-name
  • Notifications
    • notifications_send
    • notifications_sendEmail
  • Tips for Effective Notification and Emailing
  • Summary

• Chapter 8: Photos
  • Photo API
    • photos_getAlbum
    • Accessing from an External Application
    • Uploading Photo
      • Tagging Your Photos
  • Slideshow Application
  • Summary

• Chapter 9: Tools and Multimedia
  • Creating a Discussion Board
  • Taking Comments from Users
  • Making a Wall Using fb:wall
  • Increasing Usability Using fb:switch
  • Using fb:random to Display a Random Option
  • Increasing Usability Using fb:switch
  • Sharing Content
    • Audio Sharing
    • Video Sharing
  • Multimedia Contents
    • Displaying Photo
    • Managing Audio
    • Managing Video (FLV Format)
  • Summary

• Index

Dr Mark Alexander Bain

Hasin Hayder

I found “Facebook Application Development” more useful than facebook’s own documentation

The book is still very useful since it discusses the core of Facebook and how developers could manipulate them

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