1. What you need

Creating a Facebook application can be simple and fast, but it may require you to have some resources at your disposal. The first thing you need to be aware of before starting is that Facebook does not host applications. However, prior to proceeding with application development, you must have access to a server on which you can host your Facebook application files. This server could support one of many languages supported by Facebook: PHP, ASP, Java and Perl … Other than that you’d need just some basic Web development skills to get it rolling!

2. Facebook Application Developer Platform

Before you begin creating your first Facebook application, you must add the Facebook Developer application (http://www.facebook.com/developers/). It will give you all the tools for creating your commercial applications. Once it is installed, launch the Facebook Developer application to create the profile of your future application.

3. Fill out the form creation

Start Facebook Application Developer Program and click “Set up New Application” to start creating your Facebook application. Furthermore, what Facebook application platform needs to create your application is its name plus some fields that are required to run any application:
- Callback URL. This URL must match the address on your application on your server.
- Canvas Page URL. This URL is the address of your Facebook application. Each application must use a unique address, so you find an original ID!

4. Some other important options

- Use FBML /Use iframe: Prefer using FBML as it is the common choice and most documented scripting language for developing Facebook Application.
- Application type: Website / Desktop. Here, we develop an application designed to be used directly on Facebook.
- Can your application be added on Facebook? In other words: Does this application can be used on Facebook? Choose Yes to be able to add this application to your account to test example.
This action causes the appearance of two categories of options: Install Options and Integration Point, it works as an immediate check in Developer Mode Installation Options so that no one, other than the developer (you) can add the application on Facebook. Then copy your Canvas Page URL in the Side Nav URL Class Integration Point.
A detailed description is available at: http://www.marketing-ninja.com/facebook-app/starting-your-first-facebook-app-demystifying-application-form-field-by-field/.
Once configured with profile, Facebook saves your application in its database and provides two valuable pieces information for the following operations: an API Key and Secret. These two elements will be used in your application code to communicate with the services provided by Facebook. Now that the application is in order, it is time to give it life.

5. Choose a programming language

Developing a Facebook application resembles that of a Web application, where all the features supported by Facebook. From allowing users to manage their social network to making account changes, everything is supported by the platform.
Facebook offers its API (Application Programming Interface) for many languages. You can find them and download them at: http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Main_Page.
If you already have experience with developing Web applications, it is likely that you will find the languages known among those proposed. If you want your application to be entirely a web based app, PHP 5 is a good option to start with as you can find quite many tutorials guiding you to develop a Facebook Application in PHP.

Whether you’re a developer or a marketer, Facebook offers a huge and most powerful option to create engaging experiences with your target audience on Facebook. There are plenty of third-party applications that have already been built on the Platform APIs–many of which have allowed for new forms of brand and product interaction, and many of which turned out to be nothing more than lame ad delivery vehicles that failed to take the user’s experience into account.

So what makes a compelling application stuffed with all necessary elements to create a rocking user experience.

1. KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid)

Yes! The renowned SE rule applies here as well i.e. your app needs to be simple, make it hard for the user to interact with and the user’s going to make it hard on you by uninstalling your application and not recommending it to their friends. So a simple concept with a simple interface will beat out the application with the learning curve.

2. Love it? Share it! Marketing!

Plan your application around the power of the Facebook social graph which is the most powerful way of advertising known to man and it’s called drum-roll please: “word of mouth” advertising nothing more powerful than a friend telling you about something cool they just used and that they should try it out too. Incorporate all aspects of Facebook to acquire, engage, and keep users on your app on a daily basis, and lastly make your users essentially volunteer employees to spread your brand and company among the 60+ million users that login to Facebook on a daily basis.

3. Create a “thing-for-two”

Create something that involves more than one users. By doing this, you’ll already jump into marketing seat since users will share it with others. One will share with the other and so on.

4. Don’t Force Literally

Don’t make your application to force users to invite them rather make it interesting enough so that they share it automatically. You got to respect users if they want to keep application private for them and not to share with any of their friends. Although “word of mouth” advertising can do wonders but you can’t afford it at cost of user’s annoyance.

5. Abide By Facebook Policy

Finally, this is the first thing you should keep in view is to abide by the Facebook’s terms. Its the most important thing since many applications get blocked almost every day by Facebook due to violation of terms of service. So make sure you stay in the scene.