Ask HN: Facebook Apps - Develop yourself or outsource?

[dradu]

Let's say I have an idea for a FB App. Should I develop the app on my own or try to outsource?

I need to say that I'm sort-of a developer myself and I have CS university in my background but other then that nothing related to building FB apps.

Cheers, Daniel

[code_devil]

I would suggest creating 1 or 2 simple FB apps like quiz, gifts etc to get the feel of developing FB Apps. Firstly, you will learn about FB API's, secondly you can gauge how easy/hard it is to develop and accordingly do a cost analysis between self developing versus outsourcing. And, even if you outsource it, you would be able to maintain/fix bugs locally.

[tlack]

I am generally strongly opposed to outsourcing, but the Facebook API is a moving target and generally considered very poorly documented. There's also not much example code out there that still works with the current SDKs. I've had a very hard time learning it.

I guess it depends how well you trust your existing outsourcing relationships vs. how much time you have to devote to this.

[Zeuf]

Hello, Daniel. I think that you should develop it yourself, or find a partner who may develop it. I think when you start an app, you need to be fast to change, and envolve. So, if you have a outsorce development team, you may loose those things. And, as you have a CS background, you will learn fast how to build an app.

[dradu]

Hi Zeuf.. You really make a great point there. I haven't thought about how dynamic an app must be.

Thanks for the advice.