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Facebook will be deprecating their chat API that currently allows sending chat messages via XMPP.

My company is currently working on a product that may take advantage of the chat API and I would like to know more about the future of this service.

Will the current XMPP-based chat API be replaced with a new version next year? Or is it going to be obsolete?

Any input on this will be appreciated!

Nikolay Spassov
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    There are no information about something new. And I would say it would be pretty strange to deprecate something without announcing something new if that was the plan. I wouldn't count on something new coming – WizKid Jun 02 '14 at 07:27
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    Thanks WizKid. I know that XMPP has been replaced with MQTT in the new Facebook messenger app. Could that be the reason the chat API is being deprecated or are there other (non-technical) reasons? – Nikolay Spassov Jun 02 '14 at 07:43
  • I don't know why XMPP was deprecated and I have no more info than you why it was deprecated. Just my personal view is that if they planed to replace it I would expect them to announce it at the same time as deprecating XMPP or wait and deprecate XMPP until they announced the replacement. – WizKid Jun 02 '14 at 16:13
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    The only way to access the Facebook chat right now would be to use a headless browser. – Andreas Bergström Dec 23 '14 at 04:19
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    Sorry, has nothing to do with the technical details, but my opinion. I'm done with facebook. Their Graph API was always a joke, XMPP was the one thing that made sense, and it's no longer available. I've reached the point, when I don't even care how many friends are on just their platform, I'm abandoning it professionaly and personally as well. – viktike Jan 10 '16 at 19:18
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    @viktike +1. Let it go... Facebook is done. Serious people use Google Talk anyway... the only sane company out there. Since [Citizens United](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC), you vote with money, messenger usage for Facebook IS MONEY (they probably sell the data, or analytics on it, to NSA anyway) unless you use [OTR](https://otr.cypherpunks.ca/otr-wpes.pdf) with an XMPP compatible client. – Daniel Dinnyes Jun 06 '16 at 16:33
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    **Moderator note**: This post is [under discussion on Meta](https://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/335033/complaint-a-moderator-closed-my-question-despite-other-users-clearly-showing-in), and is locked to mitigate the meta effect. – Martijn Pieters Sep 22 '16 at 08:56

8 Answers8

33

The Facebook XMPP Chat API has been deprecated in v2.0 and above meaning it won't be available after April 30th 2015.

Facebook have not announced any replacement for this API, so I'd recommend not building a product which requires this functionality.

Simon Cross
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11

The closest thing that I've found so far is this endpoint:

GET /v2.2/me/inbox

(https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/v2.2/user/inbox)

This allows you to read all the messages. You will need a read_mailbox permission. But you can't publish, update nor delete.

elecay
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10

While it's not a fully fledged API or anything, there's a libpurple (pidgin) plugin that I've confirmed works with the new Facebook chat restrictions: https://github.com/jgeboski/purple-facebook

David Bugg
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7

Messanger API is here (can't post a comment yet) info: https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2015/03/25/introducing-messenger-platform-and-businesses-on-messenger/
api: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger

however I didn't find anything that would be useful as a replacement for chat API

user2553902
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  • I don't see any information about Windows API, only Android/Apple mobile app development. There's a Windows 8.1 app; but, it's basically Facebook webpage in full screen. – MKANET Apr 08 '15 at 17:11
5

A couple days ago, Facebook just announced their new Messenger Platform

https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger-platform.

As for now, it can only be used with Facebook Page and use Webhooks as way to communicate with our app. It also able to send message with recipient's id or phone number if the recipient authorized it.

hendryanw
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3

This is not about XMPP, but my problem was to use the chat without accessing the browser and this node package solved it. It tricks facebook into believing that you are getting and posting from their site. Pretty cool!

Gismo Ranas
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3

Since a few months, there's a pretty complete reverse of the MQTT protocol used by the messenger app implemented with two Instant Messaging libraries:

Both share the same codebase and were essentially implemented by the same person, so you could either reuse the codebase or use bitlbee-facebook and do your thing on top of IRC.

Antoine Pietri
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1

I guess Facebook will never give access to xmpp after April 30th 2015 because they have blocked friends access from there sdk and through xmpp you can find roasters to access friends.

Jaspreet Chhabra
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