What is Facebook API and how does it work?

Hi there,

I work at an SEO firm and I overheard one of our guys talking about how the Facebook API had strangely gone down that day and I have since then wondered what API is. I know Twitter and Facebook both use it, but how does it work, what is it, and how can it affect someone who is using these two networks to promote local businesses?

Thanks.

The facebook API is simply an "interface" provided by facebook for developers to get and send information.

You use your browser to do stuff on facebook. But for programs and facebook apps, there is no browser. Someone that program have to connect and interact with facebook to be able to go about their business.

That's where the API comes in. It's basically a set of commands that Facebook understands.

Say you made a facebook app that displays a list of the user's friends.

How will the program know who the friends are? It connects to fb servers using the API provided, and asks for a list of the user's friends. Simple as that.

Same thing if your app needs to post a message on the user's wall. The app simply uses send some commands to FB via the api to make it happen.

Everything you need to know can be found here: https://developers.facebook.com/

The last part of your question is way to ambiguous for me to provide any answers.

no idea;(