Step by Step Guide to Building a CompanyCam API Integration in JS

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code wranglers! Ready to dive into the world of CompanyCam API integration? Buckle up, because we're about to embark on a journey that'll supercharge your project management capabilities. The CompanyCam API is a powerful tool that'll let you tap into a wealth of project data, photo management, and more. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• A CompanyCam API key (snag one from their developer portal)
• Your favorite JavaScript environment set up
• A burning desire to build something awesome

Setting Up the Development Environment

First things first, let's get our project off the ground:

mkdir companycam-integration
cd companycam-integration
npm init -y
npm install axios dotenv

Create a .env file for your API key:

COMPANYCAM_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Authentication

CompanyCam uses OAuth 2.0, but don't sweat it – we'll keep it simple with API key authentication for now. Here's how to set up your API calls:

const axios = require('axios');
require('dotenv').config();

const api = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.companycam.com/v2',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.COMPANYCAM_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
});

Making API Requests

Now that we're all set up, let's make our first request:

async function getProjects() {
  try {
    const response = await api.get('/projects');
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching projects:', error.response.data);
  }
}

Core Functionality Implementation

Let's implement some key features:

Fetching Projects

async function getProject(projectId) {
  try {
    const response = await api.get(`/projects/${projectId}`);
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching project:', error.response.data);
  }
}

Uploading Photos

async function uploadPhoto(projectId, photoData) {
  try {
    const response = await api.post(`/projects/${projectId}/photos`, photoData);
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error uploading photo:', error.response.data);
  }
}

Managing Tags

async function addTag(photoId, tagName) {
  try {
    const response = await api.post(`/photos/${photoId}/tags`, { name: tagName });
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error adding tag:', error.response.data);
  }
}

Advanced Features

Webhooks Integration

CompanyCam supports webhooks for real-time updates. Here's a quick Express server to handle them:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.post('/webhook', express.json(), (req, res) => {
  const event = req.body;
  console.log('Received webhook:', event);
  // Handle the event
  res.sendStatus(200);
});

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

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Always be prepared for the unexpected:

async function makeApiCall(endpoint, method = 'get', data = null) {
  try {
    const response = await api[method](endpoint, data);
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.response && error.response.status === 429) {
      // Rate limited, wait and retry
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
      return makeApiCall(endpoint, method, data);
    }
    throw error;
  }
}

Testing and Debugging

Don't forget to test your integration! Here's a simple test using Jest:

test('fetches projects successfully', async () => {
  const projects = await getProjects();
  expect(projects).toBeDefined();
  expect(Array.isArray(projects.items)).toBe(true);
});

Optimization and Best Practices

• Cache frequently accessed data to reduce API calls
• Use pagination for large datasets
• Implement exponential backoff for retries

Deployment Considerations

When deploying your integration:

• Secure your API keys using environment variables
• Implement proper error logging
• Consider using a rate limiting library to respect API limits

Conclusion

And there you have it, folks! You're now armed with the knowledge to build a robust CompanyCam API integration. Remember, the key to a great integration is understanding the API docs, handling errors gracefully, and optimizing for performance. Now go forth and code something amazing!

For more in-depth info, check out the CompanyCam API docs. Happy coding!