OpenSocial is a set of common application programming interfaces for Web-based social network applications. As the first book on OpenSocial, this valuable resource discusses the unique area of social networking and the needs and different attributes of social network applications. You?ll get step-by-step instructions for creating OpenSocial applications for multiple platforms and explore application development and deployment using integration technologies like the new Sun Zembly Platform. Plus, you?ll examine newer technologies like the Sun Platform that allows even non-programmers the ability to ?mash up? applications.

As a new and exciting platform for creating and deploying social networking applications on multiple networks, OpenSocial is a set of common Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that can be used on MySpace, hi5, imeem, Friendster, Netlog, orkut, and more. This book walks you through the creation of engaging social network applications using OpenSocial, and provides you with a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of applications for the most popular social networks using OpenSocial.

Following an introduction that discusses what a social network application is and how applications can be found in different platforms, you''ll discover some of the most popular techniques used for creating both "social" and "viral" applications. You''ll gain an understanding of the OpenSocial architecture (including both client and server APIs) and OpenSocial data formats. Packed with code examples and tips and tricks from industry experts, this resource will put you on your way to quickly creating social networking applications with OpenSocial.

What you will learn from this book

• How to deploy on multiple containers (social networks)

• Ways to make money with social network applications

• Issues that surround both front-end and back-end needs

• How to develop applications for popular social networks such as MySpace, orkut®, Netlog, Yahoo!, and more

• Tips for creating applications that feature different social hooks

• Various emerging technologies such as OpenSocial templates, OpenSocial proxied content, and OpenSocial client libraries

Who this book is for
This book is for programmers interested in social network programming with OpenSocial. Familiarity with JavaScript is helpful.

Wrox guides are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think. Written by programmers for programmers, they provide a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.

Lynne Grewe, Ph.D., is founder and director of ILab at California State University East Bay, where she as a professor in Computer Science. She created the first class in a university to teach social network programming, using the platforms of OpenSocial, Facebook, and others. Previously, she worked at IBM as a media specialist. She received her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue. She has collaborated with numerous companies in social networking. She has published in professional journals and presented at many conferences and symposiums. Lynne has contacts in industry that are spearheading social network platforms and including Sun, Yahoo!, and Google. She is also a leader in the community developing personalization/socialization of the social network experience and is a member of the OpenSocial foundation.