How to Build a Public Adalo Integration: Building the Auth Flow

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Adalo integrations? Today, we're going to tackle one of the most crucial aspects of building a public integration: the authorization flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your integration secure and user-friendly in one fell swoop.

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got your favorite code editor fired up and Node.js installed. We'll be using Express for our server, so if you're not familiar with it, now's a great time to brush up. Oh, and you'll need an Adalo developer account – but you've probably got that covered already, right?

Setting Up the Project

Let's kick things off by setting up our project:

mkdir adalo-integration
cd adalo-integration
npm init -y
npm install express axios dotenv

Create an index.js file and let's get coding!

Understanding OAuth 2.0 Flow

Adalo uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication. If you're thinking, "Oh no, not another OAuth implementation," don't worry! Adalo's approach is pretty straightforward. We'll be using the Authorization Code flow, which is perfect for server-side applications like ours.

Implementing the Authorization Request

First things first, let's get that authorization URL set up:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
require('dotenv').config();

const authorizationUrl = `https://api.adalo.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=${process.env.CLIENT_ID}&redirect_uri=${encodeURIComponent(process.env.REDIRECT_URI)}&response_type=code`;

app.get('/auth', (req, res) => {
  res.redirect(authorizationUrl);
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on port 3000'));

When a user hits the /auth endpoint, they'll be whisked away to Adalo's authorization page. Magic!

Handling the Callback

Now, let's set up our callback endpoint to catch that authorization code:

app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => {
  const { code } = req.query;
  // We'll use this code in the next step
  console.log('Authorization code:', code);
  res.send('Authorization successful! You can close this window.');
});

Exchanging the Code for Access Token

Time to trade in that code for an access token:

const axios = require('axios');

app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => {
  const { code } = req.query;
  
  try {
    const response = await axios.post('https://api.adalo.com/oauth/token', {
      grant_type: 'authorization_code',
      code,
      client_id: process.env.CLIENT_ID,
      client_secret: process.env.CLIENT_SECRET,
      redirect_uri: process.env.REDIRECT_URI
    });

    const { access_token, refresh_token } = response.data;
    // Store these tokens securely!
    console.log('Access token:', access_token);
    console.log('Refresh token:', refresh_token);

    res.send('Authorization successful! You can close this window.');
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error exchanging code for token:', error.response.data);
    res.status(500).send('An error occurred during authorization.');
  }
});

Refreshing the Access Token

Access tokens don't last forever, so let's implement a refresh mechanism:

async function refreshAccessToken(refresh_token) {
  try {
    const response = await axios.post('https://api.adalo.com/oauth/token', {
      grant_type: 'refresh_token',
      refresh_token,
      client_id: process.env.CLIENT_ID,
      client_secret: process.env.CLIENT_SECRET
    });

    return response.data.access_token;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error refreshing token:', error.response.data);
    throw error;
  }
}

Securing the Token Storage

Now, I know you're itching to store those tokens in a database, but remember: security first! Consider encrypting the tokens before storage, and never, ever store them in plain text. Your users will thank you later.

Error Handling and Edge Cases

Always expect the unexpected. Implement proper error handling for network issues, invalid tokens, and other potential hiccups. Your future self will be grateful when debugging becomes a breeze.

Testing the Auth Flow

Before you pop the champagne, give your auth flow a thorough test. Try the happy path, then throw some curveballs:

• What happens if the user denies access?
• Can you handle an invalid refresh token?
• Does your error handling actually, you know, handle errors?

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a rock-solid auth flow for your Adalo integration. Pat yourself on the back – you've tackled one of the trickiest parts of integration development.

Remember, this is just the beginning. With your auth flow in place, you're now ready to start making API calls and building out the core functionality of your integration. The sky's the limit!

Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, keep having fun. You've got this! 🚀