Lessons learned -

Building the Yahoo! Developer NetworkDan Theurer

Developer Relations Conference 2009

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Yahoo! Developer Network

• Joined at incubation

• 4 years

• Technical Evangelist

• Manager Partner Integration

• Hack Program

eBay Developer Program

• Technical Evangelist

About Me

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• 10 min YDN Update

• What history tells us

• Key learnings

• The four pillars

• Key takeaways

What are we going to cover

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10 min YDN Update

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Yahoo Developer Network (YDN)

• Open Source

• Developer Tools

• Data Services

Yahoo! Open Strategy (YOS)

YQL Code Samples

Open Strategy :: Applied

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• YUI

• Hadoop

• Apache

• PHP

• Perl

• MySQL

YDN :: Open Source

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• YSlow

• Pipes

• Blueprint Mobile Widgets

YDN :: Developer Tools

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• BOSS

• Address Book

• Flickr

YDN :: Data Services

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YOS :: Technology Stack

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• SQL-like syntax

• Allows you to query (SELECT), filter

(WHERE) and join (IN) data across

WebServices.

• Self Describing - SHOW, DESC table

• Public / Private Data

• Bindings for many YDN APIs

• Can query external structured data (USE)

• http://developer.yahoo.com/yql

Yahoo! Query Language (YQL) - SELECT * FROM internet

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<query yahoo:count="46" yahoo:created="2009-02-20T08:16:03Z" yahoo:lang="en-US" yahoo:updated="2009-02-20T08:16:03Z" yahoo:uri="http://query.yahooapis.com/v1/yql?q=show+tables"> <results> <table>atom</table> <table>csv</table> <table>feed</table> <table>flickr.photos.exif</table> <table>flickr.photos.info</table> <table>flickr.photos.interestingness</table> <table>flickr.photos.recent</table> <table>flickr.photos.search</table> <table>flickr.photos.sizes</table> <table>flickr.places</table> <table>flickr.places.info</table> <table>geo.places</table> <table>geo.places.ancestors</table> … </results></query

YQL :: SHOW tables

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<query yahoo:count="1" yahoo:created="2009-02-21T01:41:28Z" yahoo:lang="en-US" yahoo:updated="2009-02-21T01:41:28Z" yahoo:uri="http://query.yahooapis.com/v1/yql?q=desc+flickr.photos.search"> <results> <table name="flickr.photos.search”> <request> <select usesRemoteLimit="true”> <key name="machine_tags" type="xs:string"/> <key name="radius_units" type="xs:string"/> <key name="safe_search" type="xs:string"/> <key name="privacy_filter" type="xs:string"/> <key name="contacts" type="xs:string"/> <key name="tags" type="xs:string"/> <key name="place_id" type="xs:string"/> <key name="text" type="xs:string"/> … </select> </request> </table> </results></query>

YQL :: DESC flickr.photos.search

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<query yahoo:count="6" yahoo:created="2009-02-21T02:09:55Z" yahoo:lang="en-US" yahoo:updated="2009-02-21T02:09:55Z" yahoo:uri="http://query.yahooapis.com/v1/yql?q=select+*+from+flickr.photos.search+where+user_id%3D%2228569531%40N00%22+and+text%3D%22jump%22+limit+6"> <results> <photo farm="4" id="3154107557" isfamily="0" isfriend="0" ispublic="1" owner="28569531@N00" secret="6f22e677c3" server="3101" title="Jump - Fremont Older"/> <photo farm="4" id="2563123589" isfamily="0" isfriend="0" ispublic="1" owner="28569531@N00" secret="7811c91934" server="3087" title="Jump"/> <photo farm="3" id="2159479534" isfamily="0" isfriend="0" ispublic="1" owner="28569531@N00" secret="785e671cd4" server="2080" title="Hollywood - Jump - Dan"/> <photo farm="3" id="2066431773" isfamily="0" isfriend="0" ispublic="1" owner="28569531@N00" secret="c61604d090" server="2208" title="JUMP!"/> <photo farm="2" id="1304849768" isfamily="0" isfriend="0" ispublic="1" owner="28569531@N00" secret="7271c8f9b3" server="1233" title="Testing the suit"/> <photo farm="2" id="1178261094" isfamily="0" isfriend="0" ispublic="1" owner="28569531@N00" secret="3dac28807f" server="1241" title="Jump, jump!"/> </results></query>

YQL ::SELECT * FROM flickr.photos.search WHERE user_id="28569531@N00” AND text="jump” LIMIT 6

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1. Download the SDK

http://developer.yahoo.com/social/sdk

2. Unzip yos_php_sdk-1.1

3. Get a Developer Key

http://developer.yahoo.com/dashboard

4. Start to write some code

Developer Key / PHP SDK

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<?php// Include the PHP SDK for YSP library.require_once("yosdk/lib/Yahoo.inc");

// Define values for keys required for authorizationdefine(CONSUMER_KEY,"dj0yJmk9ZDNwaXdQSEZ…j");define(CONSUMER_SECRET,"37fe717538e0598e6c70d4262…");

// The YahooApplication class is used for two-legged authorization, which doesn't need user authorization.$two_legged_app = new YahooApplication(CONSUMER_KEY,CONSUMER_SECRET);

// Create queries for Flickr$yql_request = 'select * from flickr.photos.search where user_id="28569531@N00" and text="jump" limit 6';

// Make the request$results = $two_legged_app->query($yql_request);$photos = $results->query->results->photo;

// Build the output HTMLforeach($photos as $k=>$v) { $imgs .= '<img src="http://farm' . $v->farm . '.static.flickr.com/' . $v->server . '/' . $v->id . '_' . $v->secret . '_m.jpg" alt="Image' . $k . '"/>' ;}echo "<html><body>" . $imgs . '</body></html>’;?>

YQL :: 2-legged OAuth – PHP SDK

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YQL :: 2-legged OAuth – Result

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<?php// Include the PHP SDK for YSP library.require_once("yosdk/lib/Yahoo.inc");

// Define values for keys required for authorizationdefine(CONSUMER_KEY,"dj0yJmk9ZDNwaXd…j");define(CONSUMER_SECRET,"37fe717538e0598e6…");

$session=YahooSession::requireSession(CONSUMER_KEY,CONSUMER_SECRET);

// Define YQL queries for the Social Directory APIs$query = "SELECT * FROM social.connections WHERE owner_guid=me LIMIT 2";$result = $session->query($query);

// Build the output HTMLecho("<html><body><pre><h2>Connection Data</h2>" );var_dump($result) ;echo("</pre></body></html>");?>

YQL :: 3-legged OAuth – PHP SDK

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YQL :: 3-legged OAuth – Result

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What history tells us

March 2005

• Developer Network launched

• 2 people (+ 1 at Search)

• Search API only

• About 10 web service calls

• Servers only on the west coast

• Funded by Jerry

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March 2006

• 20 APIs

• YUI Libraries

• JSON, Serialized PHP

• 2 Developer centers

• Servers in two colos

• Web 2.0 & Mashups

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Hackday 06

Event:• Learning, Hacking, Camping

Numbers:• 350 developers came to Yahoo!• 4000 Pictures on Flickr (hackday06)• 56 hacks presented• Launched several APIs & BBAuth• One month of planning• Beck performed a full show

Winners:• Blogging in motion• Related: http://purplepedals.com/

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March 2007

• Categories -> Four pillars

• Not pretty - but functional

• Pipes launched

• YDN international

• Local developer events

• More Hackdays

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March 2008

• Over 50 APIs

• Big YOS initiative started

• Retired less valuable of APIs

• Incorporated a lot of video

• Various international

Hackdays

• 2009: Will charge for BOSS

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Key learnings

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• Developers are lazy

• Developers are impatient

• Developers are opinionated

• They look under the cover, analyze, hack.

• Of course they are smart, innovative and driven to optimize!

• Your success depends on that!

Learnings :: Developers are …

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Value => Adoption

• Solve their problems

• Help them be efficient

• Standards instead of buzz words

• Facts instead of slogans

• Time!!!

Learnings :: Developers are lazy

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• Capture their interest – direct it quickly

• Fast access to high value offers

• Easy signup

• Quick start guide

• Build on what they know

Learnings :: Developers are impatient

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Learnings :: Content Unfiltered

RSS FeedsRuby Language CenterSearchMonkeySecurity Best PracticesShopping APISilverlight Language CenterSite Explorer APIStencils for DesignersTraffic APITravel APIUpcoming APIUtilities APIVideo Search APIWeather APIWeb Search APIWidgetsYahoo! User Interface LibraryYAP / YOSYDN TheaterYslowZimbra…

HadoopHotJobs APIImage Search APIJava Language CenterJavaScript Language Centerl10n & i18n ToolsLive Video BroadcastLocal Search APIGeocoder APITraffic APIMail APIMedia Player PluginMessage BoardsMyBlogLog APIMyWeb API.NET Language CenterNews Search APIoAuthOpenIDPHP Language CenterPipesPython Language Center

Address Book APIAjax MapsAnswers APIASTRA LibraryAudio Search APIAutos Custom APIBBAuthBlogBlueprintBOSSCodeSamplesColdFusion Language CenterContent Analysis APIdel.icio.us APIDesign Pattern LibraryExceptional PerformanceFinance APIFire Eagle™ APIFlash Language CenterFlash MapsFlickr APIGeoPlanet™ API

Learnings :: Content Unfiltered cont.

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Learnings :: Content Structured

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Learnings :: Content Visually Organized

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• Developers are connected – Online and offline

• Your product gets discussed in public forums

• You should be part of that discussion

• If you don’t build a community around it, they will

Learnings :: Developers are opinionated

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• Join developer channels to communicate (not to market)

• Twitter, Message Boards, Blog comments, IRC

• Slideshare

• Del.icio.us, Flickr, Upcoming

• The right events - Unconferences

• Provide value, have conversations, share code

• Be accessible, embrace feedback

Developers don’t respond to formal marketing!

Learnings :: Developers are opinionated contd

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"If you can not measure it, you can not improve it.”-- Lord

Kelvin

• Know your winners

• Measure as much as you can

• Web site stats

• API calls

• Forum post

• Personal interactions - documented feedback properly

• ...

• Keep doing what works – Fix or retire what’s broken

Learnings :: Metrics

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• Set expectations, communicate a roadmap / vision

• Avoid pre-announcements

• The macro affects the developer products

• High appreciation of events outside of Silicon Valley

• Coding competitions rather then car give aways

Learnings :: Others

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Four Pillars

The four critical parts of a Developer Network offer

Data

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The four critical parts of a Developer Network offer

Data Tools

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The four critical parts of a Developer Network offer

Data

HowTos

Tools

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The four critical parts of a Developer Network offer

Data

HowTos

Support Communication

Tools

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Key Take Aways

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• Developers are lazy, impatient and opinionated

• Traditional marketing does not work

However

• Developers are willing to pay for value

Take Aways

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Thank YouQuestions?

dan@yahoo-inc.com