How do I create a client ID and client secret on Facebook?

To use the Facebook APIs and enable your app to make calls to Facebook, you need to set up a Facebook app and get an app ID and app secret. The app ID and app secret allow your app to identify itself to Facebook and authenticate your calls.

Here’s a quick overview of how to get a Facebook client ID and client secret:

Create a Facebook app in the Facebook Developer Console

Add a platform (website, iOS, Android etc) for your app
Take note of the autogenerated App ID and App Secret
Use the App ID and App Secret to authenticate your app when making API calls to Facebook

In this guide, I’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to create a Facebook app, get the client ID and client secret, and use them in your application to call Facebook APIs.

Prerequisites

Before you can create a Facebook app and get a client ID and client secret, make sure you meet these prerequisites:

You need a Facebook account – create one if you don’t have it already

Your Facebook account must be a developer account – you can convert your normal Facebook account to a developer account for free
You need to choose a platform for your app – website, iOS, Android etc. Your client ID and secret will be tied to the platform you choose.

Let’s look at each of these prerequisites in more detail:

Have a Facebook account

To create apps and get API access on Facebook, you need to have a Facebook personal account. You can sign up for one for free at facebook.com.

Make sure you:

Use your real identity – Facebook does not allow fake or anonymous accounts

Verify your account via email or phone number
Comply with Facebook’s terms of service

Once you have a valid personal Facebook account, you can use it to create apps.

Convert to a Facebook developer account

Your normal Facebook account needs to be converted to a developer account before you can create apps. Here’s how to convert your account:

Go to Developers.Facebook.com and log in with your Facebook credentials
Click on My Apps in the menu

A popup will show asking you to convert your account to a developer account – click the button to convert
Read the policy and click on confirm

Converting to a developer account is free. Once converted, your account will have access to create and manage Facebook apps.

Choose a platform

When creating your Facebook app, you need to choose a platform – this determines what your client ID and secret can be used for:

Website – For apps on websites or web servers
iOS – For iOS mobile apps

Android – For Android mobile apps
Messenger – For apps on Facebook Messenger
Instant Games – For Facebook Instant Games

Choose the platform that matches where your app will run. For example, if you’re building an iOS app, choose the iOS platform.

You can add other platforms later for the same app to get additional client IDs/secrets.

Now that you meet the prerequisites, let’s move on to actually creating the Facebook app and getting the client ID and client secret.

Create a new Facebook app

Here are the steps to create a new Facebook app:

Go to developers.facebook.com and make sure you’re logged in
Click My Apps in the top menu bar

Click the Create App button on the top right
Enter your app Display Name – this can be changed later
Enter your app Contact Email – this is where Facebook will contact you if needed

Choose a Category for your app – this helps people discover your app
Click the Create App button

Once created, your app will have an App ID number associated with it. This is your Facebook client ID.

You’ll also see an App Secret further down the page – copy this now as it will only be shown once. This is your Facebook client secret.

Let’s look at how to find these in more detail.

Find your Facebook App ID (Client ID)

When your Facebook app is first created, it is assigned an App ID number. This is your client ID:

To find the App ID again later:

Go to developers.facebook.com and click on your app
Click Settings > Basic in the sidebar

The App ID is shown next to App ID

The App ID uniquely identifies your app to Facebook. Make note of this to use later when making API calls from your app.

Get your Facebook App Secret (Client Secret)

When you create your Facebook app, it also generates an App Secret:

This is your client secret. To view it again later:

Go to developers.facebook.com and click on your app
Click Settings > Basic in the sidebar

Scroll down to the App Secret section
Click Show to reveal the app secret

The app secret allows your app to authenticate itself with Facebook APIs.

Important: The app secret is only shown once at app creation for security reasons. Make sure you copy it somewhere safe!

If you did not copy the app secret, you will need to regenerate it:

Go to developers.facebook.com and click on your app

Click Settings > Basic in the sidebar
Scroll down and click the Reset button next to App Secret
A new app secret will be generated – copy this immediately

Now that you have an app ID and app secret, the next step is adding a platform.

Add a platform

When you create your Facebook app, the first step is to add a platform that you will be using the app from:

This links your app ID and secret to that specific platform.

For example, if you choose the iOS platform, your app ID and secret can only be used in an iOS app.

To add a platform:

Go to developers.facebook.com and click on your app

Click Settings > Basic in the left sidebar
Click Add Platform button in the top right
Choose the platform you want to add – iOS, Android, Website, Messenger, etc

Enter your platform details if requested
Click Save Changes

Adding a platform generates an app ID and secret specifically for that platform. You can now use them to authenticate and make API calls from your app on that platform.

Most apps will only need one platform, but you can add multiple platforms for the same app if needed. Each platform will have its own distinct client ID and secret.

Use the client credentials to make API calls

Now that you have a client ID and client secret, you can use them to authenticate your app when making calls to Facebook APIs:

On the server-side

For calls made server-side, use the client credentials flow:

Make a POST request to /oauth/access_token with parameters grant_type=client_credentials and client_id=[APP_ID] and client_secret=[APP_SECRET]
Facebook will return an access token
Use this access token in the Authorization header when calling Facebook APIs

This allows your server-side app to authenticate and access user data permitted by its permissions.

On the client-side

For client-side apps like iOS or Android, use the generated keys to initialize the Facebook SDK:

“`
//iOS
let facebook = FBSDK(appId: “APP_ID”, appSecret: “APP_SECRET”)

//Android
val facebook = Facebook(appId = “APP_ID”, appSecret = “APP_SECRET”)
“`

This initializes the SDK with your app credentials so it can make authorized API calls.

Refer to the platform-specific guides for full details on making API calls from your app using the client ID and secret.

Additional tips

Here are some additional tips when working with your app ID and secret:

– Treat your app secret with care, like a password. Do not expose it publicly.

– If your secret may be compromised, regenerate it immediately for security.

– Double check you are using the right app ID and secret for the specific platform.

– Consider using an ephemeral session secret instead of the main secret where possible for better security.

– For added protection, enable App Secret Proof on API calls from your app.

Following security best practices will help prevent misuse of your app credentials.

Conclusion

Getting a Facebook client ID and client secret is crucial to enable your app to securely access Facebook APIs and data.

Here are the key steps covered:

Create a Facebook developer account
Create a new Facebook app
Get the auto-generated app ID (client ID)

Copy the app secret (client secret)
Add a platform like iOS or website
Use the platform-specific credentials to initialize SDKs or make API calls

Treat the credentials securely like passwords

With your unique app ID and secret, you can now authenticate your app and leverage the powerful Facebook APIs and data available to build engaging social experiences. The client credentials open up new possibilities for your app on the Facebook platform.

Section	Key Points
Introduction	App ID and secret needed to use Facebook APIs Used to authenticate your app Tied to the platform like iOS or website
Prerequisites	Need Facebook account Convert to developer account Choose a platform for your app
Create App	Go to developers.facebook.com Click Create App Enter name, email, category Get auto-generated app ID and secret
App ID	Found in app settings Unique identifier for your app
App Secret	Found in app settings Needed to authenticate API calls Reset if compromised
Add Platform	Choose platform like iOS or Android Get platform-specific credentials Can add multiple platforms
Making API Calls	Server-side uses client credentials flow Client-side initializes Facebook SDK
Tips	Treat credentials securely Regenerate if compromised Double check right credentials for platform Enable App Secret Proof