Step by Step Guide to Building a Circle API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Circle API integration? You're in for a treat. We'll be using the trakx.circle-api-client package to make our lives easier. This nifty tool will help us interact with Circle's powerful financial services API without breaking a sweat.

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• Circle API credentials (if you don't have these yet, head over to Circle's developer portal)

Got all that? Great! Let's roll.

Installation

First things first, let's get our hands on the trakx.circle-api-client package. Fire up your package manager console and run:

Install-Package trakx.circle-api-client

Easy peasy, right?

Setting up the Circle API Client

Now, let's initialize our Circle API client. It's as simple as:

using Trakx.Circle.ApiClient;

var client = new CircleApiClient("YOUR_API_KEY", CircleEnvironment.Sandbox);

Pro tip: Always start with the sandbox environment for testing. You'll thank me later!

Implementing Core Functionalities

Wallets

Creating a wallet is a breeze:

var wallet = await client.CreateWalletAsync(new CreateWalletRequest
{
    IdempotencyKey = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
    Description = "My awesome wallet"
});

Need to check on your wallet? No problem:

var walletInfo = await client.GetWalletAsync(walletId);

Payments

Let's create a payment:

var payment = await client.CreatePaymentAsync(new CreatePaymentRequest
{
    IdempotencyKey = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
    Amount = new Money { Amount = "100.00", Currency = "USD" },
    Source = new Source { Type = SourceType.Card, Id = "card-id" },
    Description = "Payment for services"
});

Checking payment status? Easy:

var paymentStatus = await client.GetPaymentAsync(paymentId);

Transfers

Initiating a transfer is straightforward:

var transfer = await client.CreateTransferAsync(new CreateTransferRequest
{
    IdempotencyKey = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
    Source = new TransferSource { Type = TransferSourceType.Wallet, Id = "wallet-id" },
    Destination = new TransferDestination { Type = TransferDestinationType.Blockchain, Address = "blockchain-address" },
    Amount = new Money { Amount = "50.00", Currency = "USD" }
});

And checking its status:

var transferStatus = await client.GetTransferAsync(transferId);

Error Handling and Best Practices

Always wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks. The CircleApiException is your friend:

try
{
    // Your API call here
}
catch (CircleApiException ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Oops! Something went wrong: {ex.Message}");
}

Remember to respect rate limits. The trakx.circle-api-client handles this for you, but it's good to be aware.

Testing the Integration

Unit testing is crucial. Here's a quick example:

[Fact]
public async Task CreateWallet_ShouldReturnWalletId()
{
    var result = await _client.CreateWalletAsync(new CreateWalletRequest());
    Assert.NotNull(result.WalletId);
}

For integration testing, use Circle's sandbox environment. It's your playground!

Deployment Considerations

When deploying:

• Keep your API keys secure. Use environment variables or a secure key vault.
• Implement proper logging. You'll thank yourself later when debugging.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to integrate Circle API into your C# projects like a pro. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't be afraid to experiment.

For more in-depth info, check out the Circle API docs and the trakx.circle-api-client GitHub repo.

Now go forth and build something awesome! 🚀