The OpenSocial API

OpenSocial is a standard API for applications in social networking platforms. It is sponsored by Google. The API exists to make applications portable between different social networks. On January 22 Patrick Chanezon, OpenSocial Evangelist at Google spoke to the SDForum Web Services SIG on the topic "OpenSocial Update: On the Slope of Enlightenment".

Social Networks have been a big part of Web 2.0 and thousands of them have sprung up. In the future Social Networks could become like wikis where businesses and organizations set up social networks to allow their employees and members to communicate with one another so there is the potential for millions of social networks. A standard API makes a social network that support the API more valuable because applications can be easily ported to it.

When first announced, there was great expectations for OpenSocial. Unfortunately, many people assumed that it was either an API for communicating between different social networks or an API for porting members data between social networks. OpenSocial is neither of these things. Social networks regard their member data as their crown jewels so allowing for data portability or interaction between networks is something that would not be welcomed easily. As Patrick explained, to get the API out quickly, it had to be something uncontroversial and as all social networks want applications, it is easy to draw them around a common API.

Because of the great expectation OpenSocial went through the hype cycle quickly. In a few weeks it hit the Peak of Inflated Expectations and then just as quickly descended into the Trough of Disillusionment. Now Patrick claims that they are on the Slope of Enlightenment and firmly headed towards the Plateau of Productivity. All this on an API that has reached version 0.6.

APIs are difficult to judge, but this one seems kinda nebulous. There are three parts to the OpenSocial API. The first part is configuration where the application can find out about its environment, the main issue seems to be coming to agreement on the names for common things in social networks. The second part of the API is a container for persisting the applications own data. Finally the API has features for handling event streams that seem to be a common feature of social networks. Ho-hum.

Some other interesting tit-bits came out of the talk. Security is a big issue with JavaScript and browsers. As I wrote previously, the Facebook approach is to have their APIs use their own language which is easy to sanitize. The response from the rest of the world seems to be an Open Source project that filters JavaScript programs to effectively sandbox them. Unfortunately, I was not quick enough to record the name of the project.