Getting Started Guide

Welcome to OpenSocial! To get started building social applications, follow these steps:

1. Brainstorm with a few friends about an app you want to build. Take a look through the Social Design Best Practices article, and see how those pointers might apply to your app.

2. Get comfortable with the API, review the Developer's Guide and the OpenSocial Tutorial.

3. Pick a social network to use for testing and start writing code. As you're writing your app, you may wish to consult the OpenSocial JavaScript API reference. Below is a list of social networks that you can use to get started:

   
   

   Container	OpenSocial API	Getting Started Docs	Status
   hi5	v0.7	hi5's Developer Site	White-listed apps available for users, and open sandbox access
   iGoogle	v0.7	iGoogle Developer Home	Open sandbox access
   MySpace	v0.7	MySpace's Developer Site	White-listed developer accounts
   orkut.com	v0.7	orkut Developer Home	Upcoming pre-launch testing, and sandbox access
   Shindig sample	v0.7	Shindig+Caja Intro	Best effort availability and bleeding-edge functionality, including Caja Note: Test container for app developers only.
   Ning	v0.5	Ning's OpenSocial Site	Opt-in, per network, user availability
   Plaxo Pulse	v0.5	Plaxo's Gadgets Page	White-listed apps available for users

   
   

Now, you're off and running! There are lots of developer resources to help you along the way. Check out this video for an overview.

To talk with others who are building apps, or ask qustions about OpenSocial, please visit the OpenSocial developer forum.

Note: If you want to support OpenSocial apps running on your own website, please visit the hosting OpenSocial apps page.