• Apr 4, 2011

Our Facebook Application

Our Facebook Application has just had its 3rd revision.

Facebook continues to evolve, App developers need to continue to upgrade Apps that tap into the Graph API.

I use RestFB - a simple and flexible Facebook Graph API client written in Java.

Companies like IBM use this open source software that by using the Java programming language follows the write once use anywhere philosophy.

When Facebook upgrades its Graph API it breaks Apps that were using the old API. Facebook use php and export data in the JSON format. The JSON format is essentially a language-independent data format. This format allows you to send data from one application or website to another. A great application of this format is my Hearing Aid Prices client who saves in administration costs by having prices available on other websites.

Perhaps if Facebook was developed in Java less applications would break.

However Facebook give developers access to just about everything as long as you know how to obtain it. By offering it in a JSON format you can develop applications that process data from this format. Facebook evolves quickly however many core structures will remain.

We absolutely love this aspect because we can customise our code depending on the type of client.

As an example our site that allows people to sell sufboards for free also allows people to add a board via a facebook app on site.

 

So if you wanted to add a board to the site you can do this without logging in or joining just add the board in detail on the our facebook app page.

Our Facebook application allows integration of a website with Facebook.

There are plugins available that you can place on your page however we are working on creating an application that can send comments to the specific Facebook page and retrieve all or some info from that page.

Our rather late take up of Facebook came about by having to use a friends Facebook account to help track down my niece who was caught in the middle of Japans earthquake and tsunami.
After successfully being able to get a message to my niece and letting her parents know after days of no contact I am definitely a Facebook fan.

One issue is that having a strong website you don't generally send people away (you want them to stay) however Facebook is so widespread it can be used to connect with people.
Our application can display your business Facebook page posts on a page on your site. It can also post items to that page and allow poeple to become a fan without leaving your site.

There appears to be little SEO value in Facebook however our application would include your posts and comments as a part of your site and indeed be regarded positively by Google.

This application filters through the Facebook wall and displays information including images and links to YouTube videos.
Check another variation of the Facebook App that shows Facebook wall posts from Hearing Aids Australia