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What should you do if an API has changed the provided functionality? [In this case it would affect your project as a whole]

Some more context in my situation: Facebook eliminated the APIs ability to create, update, or delete event's via their API, they only provide read access. My whole application is based on creating and managing events. What should I do now? Facebook is one of the biggest platforms that my customers use. (It's great because friends can add friends)

monksy
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    You either find out how to do it in the new api or you say "well... that was fun while it lasted." –  Jul 11 '15 at 23:05
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    Or you could try paying Facebook a bunch of money to make a/the API available for you. Probably won't work for Facebook, but might for other providers. – Telastyn Jul 11 '15 at 23:10
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    The joys of having your livelihood depend on somebody else's API... – Craig Tullis Jul 11 '15 at 23:55

2 Answers2

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The first thing you should do is shout your favorite expletives while imagining the horrible tortures you would like to inflict on those who just killed your project. That's a great way to relieve stress and vent frustration.

After you calmed down, your next step would be to write an apology to your customers where you explain calmly and professionally that your service will unfortunately be no longer available in the future because Facebook does no longer allow that kind of access to their service, that there is nothing you or they can do about it, that they should send any complaints about this to Facebook directly and that you would be happy to have them again as customers for your next product which will be announced soon. Then you take your project offline and do a project retrospective.

When everything is wrapped up, you would take a long walk and come up with a business case for a new, completely unrelated project. This time, think carefully if it is really worth the risk to invest time and money into a product which depends heavily on a service provided by someone else who gives you no guarantee whatsoever that their API won't change or disappear without prior notice. Especially not when it is provided by a company like Facebook, which has a reputation for doing whatever they want without considering the interests of 3rd parties or even their own users.

Kilian Foth
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Philipp
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    Google: "Don't be evil." Facebook: "Don't even bother pretending we're trying not to be evil." – Mason Wheeler Jul 12 '15 at 00:53
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    @MasonWheeler Google tends to stretch the definition of "not evil" quite a lot from time to time. But at least they usually give a warning in advance before they take down a service... usually... – Philipp Jul 12 '15 at 01:33
  • That's actually a terrible way to deal with stress. – whatsisname Jul 12 '15 at 06:35
  • Agreed, but why "take your project offline"? Just disable it, or leave it alone, with an explanation of why it is not working anymore.... – Basile Starynkevitch Jul 12 '15 at 07:44
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    @BasileStarynkevitch Why would you keep paying the hosting bills for something which doesn't generate revenue anymore? – Philipp Jul 12 '15 at 12:30
  • Sadly this project has not gotten off the ground. The majority of the active user base exists on facebook.. so this is completely screwed. – monksy Jul 13 '15 at 03:04
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In most cases it is possible to put a work around in place. the users can still create events right? just not through the api. so, worst case when they click a button you can have a webpage open.

You can probably find some halfway house where you parse the webpage and partially automate the Event creation

Ewan
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  • One will have to check usage policies before parsing pages. Usually, providers declare, that they only provide resources to be used in a designated way, implying no automation on user interfaces. They keep the right to ban or sue you if you do otherwise. – Basilevs Jul 13 '15 at 03:00