Step by Step Guide to Building an Acuity Scheduling API Integration in Python

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code wrangler! Ready to dive into the world of Acuity Scheduling API integration? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through the process of building a robust integration using Python. Acuity's API is a powerhouse for managing appointments, and we're about to harness that power. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• A Python environment (3.6+ recommended)
• An Acuity Scheduling account with API access
• Your favorite code editor

Got all that? Great! Let's move on.

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project set up:

pip install requests
mkdir acuity_integration
cd acuity_integration
touch acuity_api.py

Authentication

Alright, time to get cozy with Acuity's API. Grab your User ID and API Key from your Acuity account. We'll use these to authenticate our requests:

import requests

USER_ID = 'your_user_id'
API_KEY = 'your_api_key'

headers = {
    'Authorization': f'Basic {USER_ID}:{API_KEY}'
}

Making API requests

Let's start with a basic GET request to fetch appointments:

BASE_URL = 'https://acuityscheduling.com/api/v1'

def get_appointments():
    response = requests.get(f'{BASE_URL}/appointments', headers=headers)
    if response.status_code == 200:
        return response.json()
    else:
        response.raise_for_status()

Core API functionalities

Now, let's build out some core functions:

def create_appointment(appointment_data):
    response = requests.post(f'{BASE_URL}/appointments', headers=headers, json=appointment_data)
    return response.json()

def update_appointment(appointment_id, update_data):
    response = requests.put(f'{BASE_URL}/appointments/{appointment_id}', headers=headers, json=update_data)
    return response.json()

def cancel_appointment(appointment_id):
    response = requests.put(f'{BASE_URL}/appointments/{appointment_id}/cancel', headers=headers)
    return response.json()

Advanced features

Want to level up? Let's add some calendar and client management:

def get_calendars():
    response = requests.get(f'{BASE_URL}/calendars', headers=headers)
    return response.json()

def create_client(client_data):
    response = requests.post(f'{BASE_URL}/clients', headers=headers, json=client_data)
    return response.json()

Error handling and best practices

Always be prepared for the unexpected:

import time

def rate_limited_request(func):
    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
        try:
            return func(*args, **kwargs)
        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
            if e.response.status_code == 429:
                time.sleep(60)  # Wait for a minute before retrying
                return func(*args, **kwargs)
            else:
                raise
    return wrapper

@rate_limited_request
def get_appointments():
    # ... (previous implementation)

Testing the integration

Don't forget to test your code! Here's a quick example using unittest:

import unittest

class TestAcuityIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_get_appointments(self):
        appointments = get_appointments()
        self.assertIsInstance(appointments, list)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your Acuity Scheduling API integration. Remember, this is just the beginning – there's a whole world of possibilities to explore with this API. Keep experimenting, keep building, and most importantly, keep having fun with it!

For more in-depth information, check out the Acuity Scheduling API documentation. Happy coding!