Calendly API Essential Guide

What type of API does Calendly provide?

Calendly provides a REST-based API (API v2) that utilizes JSON for request and response bodies, and adheres to standard HTTP methods, authentication, and response codes.

Does the Calendly API have webhooks?

Yes, the official Calendly API supports webhooks. Webhooks allow you to receive data from scheduled events in real time, enabling automated processes based on event occurrences such as new bookings or cancellations.

Types of Events You Can Subscribe To:

• invitee.created: Subscribes you to data about scheduled events by invitees.

• invitee.canceled: Subscribes you to data about canceled events by invitees.

• routing_form_submission.created: Subscribes you to data about routing form submissions.

Creating a Webhook Subscription:

To create a webhook subscription, make a POST request to the /webhook_subscriptions endpoint. Here's an example using curl:

curl --request POST --url https://api.calendly.com/webhook_subscriptions \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'authorization: Bearer <your personal access token>' \
--data '{
  "url":"http://yourserverendpoint.com",
  "events":["invitee.created", "invitee.canceled"],
  "organization":"https://api.calendly.com/organizations/AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA",
  "scope":"organization"
}'

Replace <your personal access token> with your actual personal access token and set "url" to your server endpoint for receiving webhook payloads.

Additional Information:

• Webhook payloads contain URIs for further actions or data retrieval.
• The scope of the webhook subscription can be either user or organization.
• Webhooks require a paid Calendly subscription on the Professional, Teams, or Enterprise plan.

Rate Limits and other limitations

The provided sources do not explicitly state the API rate limits for Calendly's API v2, Embed API, or Webhook API. However, it's mentioned that Calendly sets rate limits to prevent abuse and advises users to familiarize themselves with these limits to ensure uninterrupted service.

Typically, rate limits are restrictions placed on the number of requests a client can make to an API within a certain timeframe. These limits are crucial for preventing abuse and ensuring fair usage among all users. They often vary based on the type of subscription (free vs. paid) and the specific API endpoint being accessed.

Since the exact details of Calendly's rate limits are not provided in the sources, it's recommended to consult the official Calendly API documentation or contact Calendly's support for precise information regarding rate limits. Developers integrating with Calendly should also implement error handling in their applications to gracefully manage scenarios where rate limits might be exceeded, such as by implementing retry logic with exponential backoff.

In general, best practices for working within API rate limits include:

• Caching responses when possible to reduce the number of requests.
• Using efficient queries to minimize data transfer.
• Implementing pagination for large datasets instead of requesting all data at once.
• Monitoring usage to anticipate and manage approaching rate limits proactively.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on Calendly's API rate limits, refer to Calendly's official API documentation or reach out to their developer support team.

Latest API Version

The most recent version of the Calendly API is API v2. This version is actively maintained and provides a REST-based interface with predictable resource-oriented URLs. It supports JSON for request and response bodies and utilizes standard HTTP methods, authentication, and response codes. The API allows for various functionalities such as retrieving Calendly links, syncing scheduled meetings, managing users, and much more. It also supports authentication via personal access tokens for internal applications and OAuth 2.0 for public applications, catering to both individual team use cases and broader integrations accessible to many Calendly users.

API v2 is part of Calendly's integration set, which also includes the Embed API and the Webhook API. The Embed API simplifies adding Calendly booking pages to websites, while the Webhook API enables automatic receipt of Calendly data through webhook subscriptions whenever invitees schedule, cancel, or reschedule meetings.

Calendly's Developer Portal provides comprehensive resources for integrating with these APIs, including self-serve app creation and management, up-to-date documentation, API use cases, release notes, and support information. The portal has been recently updated to streamline the developer experience, offering features like API explorer, documentation, tutorials, and self-serve app creation and management to facilitate quicker and easier integration processes.

How to get a Calendly developer account and API Keys?

To get a developer account for Calendly and create an API integration:

1. Create a Developer Account

   • Sign up at the Calendly Developer Portal using GitHub or Google login credentials.

2. Register Your Application

   • Create a new OAuth application in the Developer Portal.
   • Provide application details, including name and environment (Sandbox or Production).
   • Specify a Redirect URI (use http://localhost:1234 for Sandbox testing).
   • Receive and securely store your Client ID and Client Secret.

3. Explore API Options

   • Choose from API v2, Embed API, or Webhook API based on your needs.

4. Implement Authentication

   • Use OAuth 2.0 for multi-user applications or personal access tokens for internal team use.

5. Develop Your Integration

   • Utilize the Developer Portal documentation to build your app or integration.

6. Test and Deploy

   • Test thoroughly in the Sandbox environment before deploying to Production.

What can you do with the Calendly API?

Based on the information gathered from the sources, the Calendly API allows interaction with various data models to facilitate scheduling and event management. Here's a breakdown of the capabilities associated with each data model:

Users

• Retrieve User Information: Obtain details about a user, such as name, email, and timezone.
• List User Events: Access a list of events associated with a user.
• Availability Data: View availability slots based on the user's calendar.

Event Types

• Create Event Types: Define new types of events that users can schedule.
• Update Event Types: Modify existing event types, such as changing the duration or location.
• Delete Event Types: Remove event types that are no longer needed.

Events

• Schedule New Events: Programmatically create new events for users.
• Cancel Events: Allow for the cancellation of scheduled events.
• Reschedule Events: Provide functionality to change the timing of an event.
• Event Details: Fetch comprehensive details about specific events, including attendees, date, time, and location.

Invitees

• List Event Invitees: Retrieve a list of invitees for a particular event.
• Invitee Details: Access detailed information about individual invitees, such as their name and email address.
• Mark Invitee as No Show: Update the status of an invitee to indicate they did not attend the scheduled event.

Webhooks

• Create Webhook Subscriptions: Set up webhooks to receive real-time notifications about events, such as new bookings, cancellations, or rescheduling.
• Manage Webhook Subscriptions: Update or delete existing webhook subscriptions based on changing requirements.

Scheduling Links

• Generate Single-use Scheduling Links: Create links that invitees can use to schedule an event, which automatically expire after one use.

These capabilities enable developers to build custom scheduling solutions, automate administrative tasks related to calendar management, and integrate Calendly's powerful scheduling features into their applications. Whether it's automating follow-up emails upon event booking, creating Zoom meetings for scheduled events, or sending Slack notifications for new bookings, the Calendly API provides a robust set of tools for enhancing scheduling workflows and improving productivity.