Step by Step Guide to Building a bexio API Integration in Ruby

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of bexio API integration? You're in for a treat. The bexio API is a powerful tool that'll let you tap into a wealth of business management features. In this guide, we'll walk through building a solid integration in Ruby. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ installed
• The httparty and oauth2 gems
• Your bexio API credentials (if you don't have these yet, hop over to the bexio developer portal and grab 'em)

Setting Up the Project

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

mkdir bexio_integration
cd bexio_integration
bundle init

Now, add these lines to your Gemfile:

gem 'httparty'
gem 'oauth2'

Run bundle install, and we're good to go!

Authentication

Alright, time to get authenticated. bexio uses OAuth 2.0, so let's implement that flow:

require 'oauth2'

client = OAuth2::Client.new(
  'YOUR_CLIENT_ID',
  'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET',
  site: 'https://oauth.bexio.com'
)

token = client.client_credentials.get_token

Boom! You've got your access token. Keep it safe; you'll need it for all your API requests.

Making API Requests

Now for the fun part - let's make some API calls:

require 'httparty'

class BexioAPI
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.bexio.com'

  def initialize(token)
    @token = token
  end

  def get_contacts
    self.class.get('/2.0/contact', headers: auth_header)
  end

  private

  def auth_header
    { 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{@token}" }
  end
end

api = BexioAPI.new(token.token)
contacts = api.get_contacts

Easy peasy! You can extend this class with more methods for POST, PUT, and DELETE requests as needed.

Working with bexio Resources

bexio offers a ton of resources to play with. Here's a quick example with invoices:

def create_invoice(data)
  self.class.post('/2.0/kb_invoice', headers: auth_header, body: data.to_json)
end

new_invoice = api.create_invoice({
  "title": "My awesome invoice",
  "positions": [
    {
      "amount": "10",
      "unit_price": "100",
      "tax_id": 1,
      "article_id": 1
    }
  ]
})

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Don't forget to handle those pesky errors and respect rate limits:

def get_contacts
  response = self.class.get('/2.0/contact', headers: auth_header)
  
  case response.code
  when 200
    response
  when 429
    raise "Rate limit exceeded. Try again in #{response.headers['Retry-After']} seconds."
  else
    raise "API error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
  end
end

Best Practices

Remember to implement caching for frequently accessed data, use pagination for large datasets, and consider setting up webhooks for real-time updates. Your future self will thank you!

Testing the Integration

Don't skimp on testing! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe BexioAPI do
  let(:api) { BexioAPI.new('fake_token') }

  it 'fetches contacts' do
    VCR.use_cassette('contacts') do
      contacts = api.get_contacts
      expect(contacts).to be_an(Array)
      expect(contacts.first).to have_key('id')
    end
  end
end

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your bexio API integration in Ruby. Remember, this is just the beginning - there's a whole world of bexio features waiting for you to explore. Happy coding, and may your integration be bug-free and performant!