yahoo application platform - hack day 2009
DESCRIPTION
Learn how you can get started building your app on the Yahoo! Application Platform. Developing on the Yahoo! Application Platform enables you to build Web apps that are available throughout Yahoo! – the largest audience in the world. Xavier Legros, Director of product for the platform, will walk you through the core components of YAP and the steps involved it will take to build, submit, and get an app approved.TRANSCRIPT
Xavier Legros
Director, Product
Yahoo! Application Platform
Writing Apps for Yahoo! Homepage
Agenda
• Apps on Yahoo! What is YAP?
• Programming Model
• Getting Started
• App Submission and Review
Apps on Y! Homepage: What is YAP?
• Apps are a bundle of views:• Small View and Canvas View
• Apps can be installed on:• Apps.yahoo.com
• My.yahoo.com
• www.yahoo.com
• Toolbar (coming soon!)
• Apps are intl ready• Install flows localized in 27 languages
Apps on Y! Homepage: Small View
Apps on Y! Homepage: Small View
460 px
400 px
Apps on Y! Homepage: Small View
• Small View:• Cached, needs to be fast
• Supports only: Html, Inline css, YML
• Can be pushed programmatically• SetSmallView(guid, newYML)
• Can be updated with fresh content• yml:include fetches new data from your
servers
Apps on Y! Homepage: Canvas View
460px
750 px
Apps on Y! Homepage: Canvas View
• Loads external URL from your server
• Support for:• Open social 0.8 (JS & REST)
• YML, CSS, HTML, JS
• Runs in an iFrame with Caja
• Yahoo! SDK for Php and AS3
PROGRAMMING MODEL
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YAP: Programming Model - Accessing User Data
• Guid– Unique identifier for a user
– Public info, can be stored on your servers
• Consumer Key / Secret– Specifies “API Scopes”
– Enables to query Yahoo! WS
– Necessary for OAuth 1.1 authentication
– Automatically created for you in devTool
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Social Platforms: Available APIs
• Social Directory: One Social Graph– Contacts, connections & profile data
• Updates– Syndicate user content & activity
• Presence– Read, write presence
• SDK simplifies access
• Make it easy: YQL
YAP: Programming Model - Caja
• Why Caja:– Secure 3rd party JS
– Source-to-source translator for securing Javascript
• YML and OpenSocial are whitelisted
• Careful with your JS– No document.write allowed
– Documenting behaviors to help
YAP: Programming Model - Caja
• First Preview of YUI 2.8• Check it out on preview.apps.yahoo.com
• Work in progress!
• YUI Core, Connections Manager, Some of the widgets/controls are available
• Check out documentation for more info
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YML: Yummy Language To Get You Started
• Enables you to get cool features fast– <yml:a view=”Full” params=”prefs.php”/>
• Enables ajaxy behaviors in SmallView
– <yml:include>• Enables to load fresh content once SmallView is loaded
– <yml:swf src=”myswf.swf”/>
– <yml:profile-pic uid=”XXX”>
– <yml:name uid=”viewer”/>
– <yml:ad/>
– <yml:message/> • Send Messages to users
PROGRAMMING MODEL
What if I don’t have my own servers?
Introducing Joyent
• Joyent is a Cloud Computing Company
• Sign up today!
http://signup.joyent.com/yahoo_signup
• Folks are here to answer any questions:
• Rod Boothby, VP Bus Dev
• James Duncan, VP Product
PROMOTING YOUR APP
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App Life Cycle
• Application can be in 3 states• Development
• Live
• Indexed
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App Life Cycle: Development
• Only developer can access app
• Preview only of app
• App can not:• Be shared
• Accessed through apps.yahoo.com/-appid
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App Life Cycle: Live
• App is not available on apps.yahoo.com
• Can be shared
• Can be installed in homepage, My etc..
• App is :• NOT searchable
• NIOT available in the galleries
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App Life Cycle: Indexed
• App has been submitted for review• through the devTool and accepted
• App is available for search in My
• App can be highlighted in homepage
• When available apps will be present in category browsing
• homepage and My
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What? My app can be highlighted on yahoo.com?
What makes a cool app:
• Make sure all metadata is present:• Great icons, screenshots
• Test your canvas view• Encourage users to share your app
• Generate vitality when appropriate
• Create public profile page• Encourage users to give feedback
• Advertise feedback page in app
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What? My app can be highlighted on yahoo.com?
What makes a cool app?
• Enticing SmallView:• Offer great first experience
• Shortcut type view, make it relevant
• Make it social
• Use yml:include et yml:a
• Put all your css in default smallView
PROMOTING APPS
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App Promotion
Promote your apps on and off yahoo:
• adReady Solution available today!
• Promote apps for as little as $30 per day• Choose property
• Choose demographic
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App Promotion
Promote your apps off Yahoo!• Use “Add to Yahoo!” buttons
• Use yahoo.com/add?yapid=YourAppId
• Check documentation
In App promotion:
• Leverage yml:share, yml:message
WHAT’S NEXT?
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What’s next?
More places to install apps:
• Toolbar coming before eoy
More technologies:
• Full gadget xml support in Q1
• Full Open Social support
More Viral Channels:
• Support for address book in yml:share, yml:message
SUMMARY
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App Promotion
Start writing an App for yahoo.com now!• Developer.yahoo.com/yap
Leverage viral channels:
• yml:share, yml:message
Don’t forget to create cool experiences
• SmallView
• Canvas View
Thanks & Happy HackingXavier Legros