Step by Step Guide to Building an ActiveCampaign API Integration in Python

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your marketing automation with ActiveCampaign? Let's dive into building a robust API integration using Python. We'll be leveraging the activecampaign-python package to make our lives easier. Buckle up!

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got:

• A Python environment (3.6+ recommended)
• An ActiveCampaign account with API credentials

Got those? Great! Let's roll.

Installation

First things first, let's get that package installed:

pip install activecampaign-python

Easy peasy, right?

Authentication

Now, let's get you authenticated:

from activecampaign import Client

client = Client(YOUR_API_ENDPOINT, YOUR_API_KEY)

Pro tip: Keep those API keys safe! Use environment variables or a secure config file.

Basic Operations

Let's get our hands dirty with some CRUD operations:

Retrieving Contacts

contacts = client.contacts.list()
for contact in contacts:
    print(f"Contact: {contact['email']}")

Creating a New Contact

new_contact = client.contacts.create_contact({
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "firstName": "John",
    "lastName": "Doe"
})

Updating Contact Information

updated_contact = client.contacts.update_contact(contact_id, {
    "firstName": "Jane"
})

Deleting a Contact

client.contacts.delete_contact(contact_id)

Advanced Features

Ready to level up? Let's explore some advanced features:

Managing Lists

lists = client.lists.list()
new_list = client.lists.create_list({"name": "VIP Customers"})

Handling Tags

tags = client.tags.list()
client.contacts.add_tag_to_contact(contact_id, tag_id)

Working with Campaigns

campaigns = client.campaigns.list()
campaign_report = client.campaigns.get_campaign_report(campaign_id)

Automations Integration

automations = client.automations.list()
client.contacts.add_contact_to_automation(contact_id, automation_id)

Error Handling and Best Practices

Don't let those pesky errors catch you off guard:

import time
from activecampaign.exceptions import ActiveCampaignError

def api_call_with_retry(func, max_retries=3):
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        try:
            return func()
        except ActiveCampaignError as e:
            if attempt == max_retries - 1:
                raise
            if e.status_code == 429:  # Rate limit exceeded
                time.sleep(2 ** attempt)  # Exponential backoff
            else:
                raise

Example Use Case: Contact Synchronization

Let's put it all together with a simple contact sync script:

def sync_contacts(external_contacts):
    for ext_contact in external_contacts:
        try:
            contact = client.contacts.get_contact_by_email(ext_contact['email'])
            if contact:
                client.contacts.update_contact(contact['id'], ext_contact)
            else:
                client.contacts.create_contact(ext_contact)
        except ActiveCampaignError as e:
            print(f"Error syncing contact {ext_contact['email']}: {str(e)}")

Testing and Debugging

Always test your integration thoroughly:

import unittest

class TestActiveCampaignIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_create_contact(self):
        contact = client.contacts.create_contact({
            "email": "[email protected]",
            "firstName": "Test",
            "lastName": "User"
        })
        self.assertIsNotNone(contact['id'])
        client.contacts.delete_contact(contact['id'])  # Clean up

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build a powerful ActiveCampaign integration with Python. Remember, the API is vast, so don't be afraid to explore and experiment. Happy coding, and may your marketing automation game be strong!

For more details, check out the ActiveCampaign API documentation and the activecampaign-python package docs.

Now go forth and automate!