Facebook opens stream to developers

Jake Widman
Wednesday, 29 April 2009 00:26

Business IT - Technology

The new Facebook Open Stream API enables outside developers to create applications that access the site's data feed, and a handful of applications have already been announced.

Facebook applications have long been able to publish information to a user's stream, and applications such as the Flock browser have been able to display a stream. But full two-way connectivity hasn't been available.

According to a post on the Facebook Developer Blog, developers will "be able to access the posts you've published into the stream and display them in your application, whether it's on a mobile device, Web site or desktop."

That means that Open Stream applications can enable users to not only read updates but post their own and comment on others'.

Facebook is also quick to state that applications may only access a user's stream with the user's permission, and must follow the site's terms governing data use.

The Open Stream API incorporates the Activity Streams interface Facebook hopes to make a standard.

It also relies on new APIs that, the Facebook blog post claims, will enable applications to "filter, remix, and display the stream back to that user however you choose, wherever you choose, in the manner most relevant for the user experience."

For a look at some new Open Stream applications, see Page 2 .