Book excerpt: Want to build Facebook applications that truly stand out among the thousands already available? In addition to providing easy-to-follow recipes that offer practical ways to design and build scalable applications using the Facebook Platform and its new profile design, this Cookbook also explains proven strategies for attracting users in this highly competitive environment. With plenty of examples and practical solutions, Facebook Cookbook answers some of the hardest questions Facebook application developers contend with -- including how and where to get started. This Cookbook will help you: Learn to build an application that scales to accommodate a sudden influx of users Explore changes from Facebook's old profile design to the new look and feel Take advantage of new integration points in the new profile design Get tips for designing applications with hosting and deployment costs in mind Discover which widgets and controls to use for building the most attractive user interface design Learn the differences between standard HTML, JavaScript, and SQL, and the versions used on the Facebook Platform Target large, defined groups on Facebook, including those who want to find jobs, hire employees, market a business, advertise, and more If you can build simple web applications with HTML, Facebook Cookbook will help you build applications with the potential to reach millions of users around the globe. Learn what it takes to design applications that stand above the rest.