Facebook API - How to add application to group in developer mode

Question

I have troubles with adding my application to group for any test user. I've created two test users and one of them has group and he is an admin there and I wrapped those users into test application.

I've added two permissions for groups (groups_access_member_info, publish_to_groups). In user settings I see my application but in group settings I can't add my application.

I need this because I would like to make request from facebook graph API.

Regards

Answer 1

In order to test the Groups API with an app in development mode, you need to be an admin of both the app and group. Test users don't count as admins of the app. Therefore, you'll need to use a real user account. You don't have to add the app to the group, it is assumed that the app is added if you are the admin of the group.

Source: Facebook Platform Bug Report.

Additional information from another useful bug report:

• to read group information (such as the /events edge on a group), the app needs to have the "Groups API" feature reviewed and approved, and the app needs to be installed to the group. No additional permissions are required on the access token.

• to read information about the members of a group, the access token needs to have the groups_access_member_info permission granted during login, and the app must have been approved for the "Groups API" feature.

• to publish to a group, the access token needs to have the publish_to_group permission granted, in addition to the app having the "Groups API" feature

When testing this with your own groups in development mode, the Groups API feature is assumed to be enabled, and when querying groups that you manage, the API will behave as though the app is installed to your group. Note that when querying group posts, you may only receive posts made by yourself or other admins of the app.

When querying your group's events with your app in development mode, the call worked as you didn't need any additional permissions on the access token, and the API behaves as though your app is installed on the group. This is similar to how this would work in production, as the access token wouldn't need any additional permissions to be granted during login.

Answer 2

To add your App to a Facebook Group in development mode so as to use the Groups API, you'll need to follow these steps

1. Ensure you are an Admin to both the App and the Facebook Group.

2. Create a Test version of your App from the main App, this enables you to use the Test App in a Facebook Group without needing to add the App to the Facebook Group or you'll get an OAuthException using the main App, see the docs.

3. Don't bother looking for the Test version of your App in the group app store as the Test App is bound automatically to any Facebook Group you are an Admin to.

4. Add the required permissions Groups API would use in a standard App see the docs like groups_access_member_info and publish_to_groups to get the most out of the Groups API.

5. Add Test Users to the App for them to see your posts made with the Test version of your App see the docs. This is not a must see the note below.

6. If you're testing with the Graph API Explorer change the Facebook App to the test version of your App to prevent an OAuthException.

7. Congrats! You can now use the Groups API with a Test version of your App to post to the Facebook Group you are an Admin to.

NOTE: Only your Admin account and the Test Users you add to the App can see the posts made with the Test version of your App, meaning mutations to Facebook are private to you an Admin and the Testers till you submit your App for review which you can read about here.