to FBML or not to FBML

if you've looked into developing for Facebook, you've hopefully recognized that your first big design decision involves the choice between an iframe style app, and a Facebook Markup Language (FBML) style app. many pros and cons for either can be found in the Facebook documentation and around the net, no need to regurgitate them in depth here.

however, i was a little concerned over the lack of guidance on this topic out there in the vast tube pile, both from Facebook and otherwise. for example, i didn't see many "this is what i need to do, this is what i tried, this is what worked and what didn't" type articles.

well, i'm still new to everything, but i did commit to creating an FBML app. and i figured i'd share some brief points on why i eventually made that choice.

first, the only reasons i considered iframe in the first place was 1) the obvious, that is, low learning curve and ease of porting, and 2) my prototype app is using a slick slider control built on top of the Asp.Net Ajax Toolkit Slider Extension control. in fact, the slider control was kind of a show stopper at first. it makes my app very ergonomic and i've become attached to it, but it uses a lot of javascript, and that doesn't really fly well in the FBML model.

but then it occurred to me: while my slider is slick and works well, so are all the Facebook controls i'll have access to with FBML. weighing the options, i'll spend a lot less time retooling my slider for FBML than i would reinventing all the functionality available with FBML. more importantly, Facebook will surely extend FBML going forward and who knows what else i'll have access to down the road as FBML feels more functionality demand.

and then i saw a headline that Facebook will be rolling out overall site design changes soon and it kinda sealed the deal for me. i'm never in the mood to hand mod CSS and image files and to unjumble html according to some whim.

so it goes like this, man up and learn FBML because:

• Easy integration with the FB user experience
  
  
• Easy integration with the FB aesthetic
  
  
• Performance. Performance. Performance. FB includes a caching scheme with FBML, so why spend ur own money on extra bytes and cycles when FB is willing to?
  
  
• The learning curve on FBML is minimal, you can do it, i beleive in you!
  
  
• Automatic exposure to any upgrades FB makes to FBML, upgrades they will surely make