Review: Facebook Graph API Book

I while ago I wrote that I had would be reviewing the book Facebook Graph API Development with Flash, and now I’m finished reading it!

It turns out to be a very nice book!

Overview

If you want to get into Facebook development, I would recommend this book to you!

You might be thinking: “Isn’t this book only for Flash developers?” – Nope, it’s also for everyone else who wants to learn how the Facebook Graph API works. It even has a chapter on the more advanced FQL (Facebook Query Language). Even if you have developed Flash applications for Facebook before, I’m sure you can find a lot of good tips in this book!

It’s very easy to follow, and include all the basic information you need to know. For each chapter, it goes though the general theory of the API (with examples), and then straight into how to actually use it.

I would say this is a complete book for creating a Facebook application, with one little exception:
Deployment – at least I experienced some trouble when I wanted to deploy my test application, but even though I had some trouble with it, I wouldn’t say it has an impact on the overall quality of the book – it’s still superb! (You can read my solution here: http://gamedev.rasmuswriedtlarsen.com/2011/02/24/putting-your-flash-application-on-facebook-iframe/.)

Code

It features code for FlashDevelop, the Flash IDE and Flash Builder, so no matter what you’re using to code, you should be able to follow this book. It even has two folders for each chapter with code, one you can start out from, and one with the end result.

This book is not about how to display the information you receive from Facebook. This is all handled by an UI the author supplies in the downloadable files. This is about how to get data from Facebook.

The book uses two different methods for integrating with the Graph API, the official Adobe SDK, and a version the reader builds them self.

Content of Book

The book goes though getting basic information about anyone from Facebook, then getting authenticated so you can access information about the current user, to being able to get almost all the information Facebook has about the current user (if he allows it).

Then it goes on to show how to add data entires to Facebook (posts, photos, albums, events, RSPSs, notes, likes, comments & checkins), and the few things you can delete from an application.

It has a dedicated chapter on FQL (Facebook Query Language), which is a more advanced way of obtaining information from Facebook, that has some other possibilities – but also limitations.

It ends off with a chapter with some very different information, how to deploy, edit and adjust your application on Facebook, how to integrate with AIR/Android, the Mochi Social Platform (for deploying on game portals) and other cool things!

So if you’re want to get into Facebook development, buy this book!

ps. I made a little test application after reading this book, you can try it here: http://apps.facebook.com/jello-friends/ (you’ll need a Facebook account)

Posted on February 24th, 2011
Filed under Review, Tutorial |

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