When it initially launched, the Internet transformed the way humans connected. Soon enough we had access to unlimited content at our fingertips. Within a matter of years, people were changing the way they communicated, and by the late 1990s, social networks were beginning to make their transformative impact. You could say a lot of things about the future of social networks, but one thing you can’t disagree with is that Facebook was a catalyst for a substantial redevelopment and redesign of the way that we share information about ourselves on the Web.
For developers, the launch of the Facebook Platform in 2007 brought about many things: a new language to learn, an easy way to build valuable user relationships and access personal data, and most importantly, the opportunity to easily and quickly launch an application that can potentially reach millions of people. Although the initial opportunity for application developers was monumental, the opportunity that exists today should not be discounted. Today, developers can build applications that reach a large portion of users on Facebook, the fifth largest website on the Internet.
Not only can your applications have massive reach, but there is also a substantial business opportunity to develop applications for others who recognize the opportunity. Whether you are an entrepreneurial developer or you are simply in pursuit of knowledge, you will not be disappointed with what Facebook has to offer. As somebody who is a self-taught developer, I launched my first application within 45 minutes and reached over 40,000 users. I experienced firsthand the opportunity that the platform presents. Although Facebook does have the occasional hiccup, you will not find any other platform like it.
Whether you are programming in PHP, .NET, Ruby on Rails, or any other language, you will surely be satisfied with the Facebook Platform. But keep in mind that although it is easy to develop and launch an application quickly, maintaining your application takes time. Once a week, Facebook administrators fix the platform bugs that can occasionally make your application go down. Your app won’t be destroyed, but these disruptions are a part of life while developing on Facebook. You are at the forefront of development and this is just part of what it’s like to be on the bleeding edge.
If I could give you one word of advice for success on Facebook, it would be this: community. Leverage the developer community for all it’s worth because this is one of the most active developer communities I have ever seen. People will constantly give you feedback, and they also will alert you to errors and to other developers’ bad practices. The Facebook Platform is by no means a typical platform. It is constantly evolving and will continuously be under development. Use this book as a way to build a solid base, and make sure that you keep up-to-date with all the changes taking place on the platform.
Finally, good luck on your path to building the next big thing on Facebook. It is a challenging task, but for anyone who is passionate about an idea, anything can be accomplished.
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