Social Media Meets Low-Code: Integrating Threads into Mendix

Integrating social media threads into Mendix applications can offer several strategic advantages and align with various business objectives. Social media threads can include posts, comments, interactions, and real-time updates from platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. 

What is Threads? 

Meta's Threads is a social media platform developed by Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly known as Facebook). Launched in July 2023, Threads is designed to be a text-based social media application that aims to compete with Twitter by focusing on real-time, text-centric communication. Here's a detailed overview of Meta's Threads: 

Key Features of Meta's Threads:

1. Text-Based Conversations:

Primary Focus: Threads emphasize text-based interactions, allowing users to post updates, share thoughts, and engage in conversations through short text messages like Twitter.

2. Integration with Instagram: 

Account Linking: Threads is closely integrated with Instagram, allowing users to link their Instagram accounts and manage their Threads profile using their existing Instagram credentials. 

Cross-Posting: Users can share Threads posts directly to Instagram, and vice versa, creating a seamless experience between the two platforms. 

3. Real-Time Updates: 

Live Interaction: The platform supports real-time updates and interactions, enabling users to participate in ongoing discussions, follow trending topics, and engage with other users instantaneously.

 4. User Interface: 

Design: Threads features a user-friendly interface designed for easy navigation and interaction. It resembles modern social media platforms, focusing on simplicity and accessibility. 

5. Content Discovery: 

Explore Features: Users can explore content based on interests, trending topics, or hashtags, making it easier to discover new conversations and participate in relevant discussions.

6. Community Building:

Engagement Tools: The platform includes features to help users build and engage with communities, including options for following other users, responding to posts, and participating in discussions.

7. Privacy and Security:

Account Settings: Threads incorporate privacy controls and settings to manage visibility and interactions, allowing users to customize their experience and protect their information.     

Prerequisite to build Threads integration with Mendix 

• • We need Mendix Studio pro. 
  • Go to the Meta Developer portal website Meta for Developers (facebook.com) 
  • There you can create a new account, or you can login with existing Facebook credentials.
  • After login click on My Apps and Create a new App using Create App option shown below Screenshot. 

• • Then, you will be redirected to the page below and click on the next button.
    
    
  • You will then be redirected to the page shown below. Click the Next button to proceed. 
    
    
    
  • Add your App name and App contact Email Address. 
    
    
    
  • Click on Create App.
    
    
    
  • Your app has now been created, and you will be redirected to the Dashboard page, as shown below. 
    
    
    

  • On this page, you can customize the app's requirements and permissions. Click on Access Threads API in the screenshot above. You will then be redirected to the Use Cases page, as shown in the screenshot below. Here, you can add scopes by clicking the Add button. 

    
    
    
    

  • After adding the required scopes, click on Settings. In this section, you need to add the following URLs: Redirect Callback URL, Uninstall Callback URL, and Delete Callback URL. Once completed, click Save. Refer to the screenshot below for guidance.

    

  • After adding the redirect URLs, navigate back to the Dashboard page. Click on App Roles, where you will find the option to create test users, as shown in the screenshot below. 

    
    
    

  • Add an Instagram business account as the test user.

  • After creating a test user, navigate to your Threads account. Open the Settings page and click on Accounts, as shown in the screenshot below.

  • 

  • Click on Website Permissions, which will open a popup. In the popup, navigate to Invites, where you can accept the invitation to test the APIs. Note: If the invitation has already been accepted, the option will display Remove instead of Accept, as shown in the screenshot below.

    
    
    

  • Return to the Dashboard page in the Developer Portal. Open App Settings and select the Basic option. Here, you will find the Threads App ID and App Secret. Copy and save this information securely. Once done, click Save Changes.

    

How to Implement it in Mendix?

1. Open Mendix App and create a new Application.
   
2. Create Constants as
   Client ID: - ‘Threads App ID’ 
   Client Secret: - ‘Threads App Secret’.
3. Create a Microflow with the name of ACT_GenerateAccessToken_Threads.