Here's my 50-foot view of building a Facebook application on Rails. Rails itself is not part of the presentation - you can check out one of my available slides for that. Target: non-techies and people who just want to find out the Facebook API architecture. I wished I could've put more content, like y'know, ACTUAL CODE???

1. So you want to build
a Facebook app
Facebook Developer Garage Kuala Lumpur
Kamal Fariz, RSB

2. Basic Ingredients

3. http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2345053339

4. Ruby on Rails

5. rfacebook gem

6. STEP 1
Setup a new application

18. STEP 2
Create a Rails app

19. A full-stack framework for
developing database-backed
web applications according
to the Model-View-Controller
pattern.

20. A full-stack framework for
developing database-backed
web applications according
to the Model-View-Controller
A bunch of stuff that
makes web developers
happy!
pattern.
- David Heinemeier Hansson http://flickr.com/photos/pragdave/174964316/

21. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ rails super_gifts

22. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ rails super_gifts
create
create app/controllers
create app/controllers/application.rb
create app/helpers/application_helper.rb
create test/test_helper.rb
create config/database.yml
create config/routes.rb
...
create public/images/rails.png
create public/javascripts/prototype.js
create public/javascripts/effects.js
create public/javascripts/dragdrop.js
create public/javascripts/controls.js
create public/javascripts/application.js
create doc/README_FOR_APP
create log/server.log
create log/production.log
create log/development.log
create log/test.log
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$

23. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook

24. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook
Successfully installed rfacebook-0.9.8
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
Installing RDoc documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$

25. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook
Successfully installed rfacebook-0.9.8
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
Installing RDoc documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ cd super_gifts/

26. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook
Successfully installed rfacebook-0.9.8
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
Installing RDoc documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ cd super_gifts/
MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$

27. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook
Successfully installed rfacebook-0.9.8
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
Installing RDoc documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ cd super_gifts/
MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ ./script/plugin install

28. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook
Successfully installed rfacebook-0.9.8
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
Installing RDoc documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ cd super_gifts/
MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ ./script/plugin install
http://rfacebook.rubyforge.org/svn/trunk/rfacebook/

29. MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ gem install rfacebook
Successfully installed rfacebook-0.9.8
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
Installing RDoc documentation for rfacebook-0.9.8...
MacBook-Pro:~ kamal$ cd super_gifts/
MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ ./script/plugin install
http://rfacebook.rubyforge.org/svn/trunk/rfacebook/
+ ./README
+ ./Rakefile
+ ./lib/facebook_desktop_session.rb
+ ./lib/facebook_session.rb
+ ./lib/facebook_web_session.rb
...
+ ./test/facebook_web_session_test.rb
+ ./test/test_helper.rb
MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$

30. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ rake facebook:setup

31. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ rake facebook:setup
(in /Users/kamal/super_gifts)
======================================================
Setting up RFacebook on Rails Plugin
[1] Created config/facebook.yml <-- BE SURE TO CHANGE
THE API KEY AND SECRET
Done.
======================================================
MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$

32. development:
key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE
secret: YOUR_API_SECRET_HERE
canvas_path: /yourAppName/
callback_path: /path/to/your/callback/
tunnel:
username: yourLoginName
host: www.yourexternaldomain.com
port: 1234
local_port: 5678
config/facebook.yml

35. development:
key: c6578c8b63873881caad22fccfe2715b
secret: 6b3f1f580409cd487f431e22923f00ad
canvas_path: /super_gifts/
callback_path: /
tunnel:
username: kamal
host: deploy.ror.com.my
port: 8080
local_port: 3000
config/facebook.yml

36. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ rake facebook:tunnel:start

37. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ rake facebook:tunnel:start
(in /Users/kamal/super_gifts)
======================================================
Tunneling deploy.ror.com.my:8080 to 0.0.0.0:3000
NOTES:
* ensure that you have Rails running on your local machine at port 3000
* once logged in to the tunnel, you can visit http://deploy.ror.com.my:8080 to
view your site
* use ctrl-c to quit the tunnel
* if you have problems creating the tunnel, you may need to add the following
to /etc/ssh/sshd_config on your server:
GatewayPorts clientspecified
* if you have problems with deploy.ror.com.my timing out your ssh connection,
add the following lines to your '~/.ssh/config' file:
Host deploy.ror.com.my
ServerAliveInterval 120
======================================================

38. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ ./script/server
=> Booting WEBrick...
=> Rails application started on http://0.0.0.0:3000
=> Ctrl-C to shutdown server; call with --help for
options
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO WEBrick 1.3.1
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO ruby 1.8.6 (2007-09-23)
[i686-darwin9.0.0]
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO WEBrick::HTTPServer#start:
pid=68088 port=3000

39. What happens when you
access an app?

40. http://apps.facebook.com/super_gifts

43. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ ./script/server
=> Booting WEBrick...
=> Rails application started on http://0.0.0.0:3000
=> Ctrl-C to shutdown server; call with --help for options
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO WEBrick 1.3.1
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO ruby 1.8.6 (2007-09-23) [i686-
darwin9.0.0]
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO WEBrick::HTTPServer#start:
pid=68088 port=3000

44. MacBook-Pro:super_gifts kamal$ ./script/server
=> Booting WEBrick...
=> Rails application started on http://0.0.0.0:3000
=> Ctrl-C to shutdown server; call with --help for options
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO WEBrick 1.3.1
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO ruby 1.8.6 (2007-09-23) [i686-
darwin9.0.0]
[2008-03-14 16:38:07] INFO WEBrick::HTTPServer#start:
pid=68088 port=3000

48. Making things look right

49. FBML

50. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you

51. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; capitalize=quot;truequot; /> => You

52. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; capitalize=quot;truequot; /> => You
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; possessive=quot;truequot; /> => Your

53. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; capitalize=quot;truequot; /> => You
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; possessive=quot;truequot; /> => Your
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; reflexive=quot;truequot; /> => Yourself

54. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; capitalize=quot;truequot; /> => You
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; possessive=quot;truequot; /> => Your
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; reflexive=quot;truequot; /> => Yourself
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; useyou=quot;falsequot; /> => Kamal Fariz Mahyuddin

55. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; capitalize=quot;truequot; /> => You
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; possessive=quot;truequot; /> => Your
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; reflexive=quot;truequot; /> => Yourself
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; useyou=quot;falsequot; /> => Kamal Fariz Mahyuddin
<fb:name uid=quot;510442171quot; /> => Daniel CerVentus

56. <fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; /> => you
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; capitalize=quot;truequot; /> => You
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; possessive=quot;truequot; /> => Your
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; reflexive=quot;truequot; /> => Yourself
<fb:name uid=quot;508258787quot; useyou=quot;falsequot; /> => Kamal Fariz Mahyuddin
<fb:name uid=quot;510442171quot; /> => Daniel CerVentus
<fb:name uid=quot;510442171quot; firstnameonly=quot;truequot; /> => Daniel

57. <fb:user-table cols=quot;3quot;>
<fb:user-item uid=quot;508258787quot; />
<fb:user-item uid=quot;510442171quot; />
<fb:user-item uid=quot;780410586quot; />
<fb:user-item uid=quot;544248752quot; />
<fb:user-item uid=quot;543101914quot; />
</fb:user-table>

58. <fb:comments xid=quot;super_gift_commentsquot; canpost=quot;truequot; returnurl=quot;http://apps.facebook.com/super_giftsquot;>
<fb:title>The Wall</fb:title>
</fb:comments>

59. FBML Test Console
http://developers.facebook.com/tools.php?fbml

60. Making things act right

61. API

62. fbsession.friends_get
<?xml version=quot;1.0quot; encoding=quot;UTF-8quot;?>
<friends_get_response ... list=quot;truequot;>
<uid>400156</uid>
<uid>1906543</uid>
<uid>5404778</uid>
<uid>8602139</uid>
...
<uid>5404778</uid>
<uid>8602139</uid>
</friends_get_response>

63. fbsession.notifications_send(:to_ids => ['400156', '1906543'],
:notification => message)

64. API Test Console
http://developers.facebook.com/tools.php?api

65. STEP 3
PROFIT!!!111!!!1!!

66. Resources

67. Hosting - Joyent Accelerator for Facebook Developers
http://www.joyent.com/developers/facebook/
Facebook Developers Wiki
http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/
FBML Test Console
http://developers.facebook.com/tools.php?fbml
API Test Console
http://developers.facebook.com/tools.php?api
Ruby on Rails
http://www.rubyonrails.org/
rfacebook
http://rfacebook.rubyforge.org/
facebooker
http://facebooker.rubyforge.org/

70. Malaysia.rb
Malaysia Ruby Brigade

71. 106 people in Google Groups
53 people in Facebook Group

72. Meets every third Thursday
of the month

73. Malaysia.rb 3rd Meetup
July 2007

74. http://groups.google.com/group/malaysia-rb