How to test Facebook App on localhost ?

Usually, in the past when I setup Facebook application for my websites. The new Facebook App Connect API has no problem allowing me to run tests with a live server. However, this time I need to run couple of tests for a new PHP project using Facebook Connect APIs on localhost server. To get this done, see the following steps.

• Let say the app is located at http:://localhost/fbapp

• To make the Connect button returns back to the http://localhost/fbapp

• Go to https://developers.facebook.com/

• Under the target app settings. Change Site URL to http://localhost/fbapp

• On the machine that you are running the test. Edit the /etc/hosts file or if you are using Windows, edit C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

• Add the line 127.0.0.1 localfbapp.com

This should trick Facebook Connect API to allow the tests to be run locally.

Hope this tutorial can be helpful.