Step by Step Guide to Building a ConvertKit API Integration in Python

Aug 11, 2024 • 6 minute read

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of ConvertKit API integration? Let's roll up our sleeves and get coding!

Introduction

ConvertKit's API is a powerful tool for automating your email marketing workflows. In this guide, we'll walk through building a Python integration that'll have you managing subscribers, forms, and more in no time.

Prerequisites

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

Python 3.7+
requests library
Your ConvertKit API key (keep it secret, keep it safe!)

Setting Up the Environment

First things first, let's get our environment ready:

pip install requests

Now, let's store that API key somewhere secure. I like using environment variables:

export CONVERTKIT_API_KEY='your_api_key_here'

Basic API Connection

Time to test the waters! Let's create a simple client:

import os
import requests

API_KEY = os.environ['CONVERTKIT_API_KEY']
BASE_URL = 'https://api.convertkit.com/v3/'

def get_request(endpoint):
    return requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}{endpoint}?api_key={API_KEY}")

# Test connection
response = get_request('account')
print(response.json())

If you see your account details, you're golden!

Core Functionality Implementation

Subscribers

Let's start with the bread and butter - managing subscribers:

def get_subscribers():
    return get_request('subscribers').json()

def add_subscriber(email, first_name=None):
    data = {'email': email, 'first_name': first_name}
    return requests.post(f"{BASE_URL}subscribers", params={'api_key': API_KEY}, json=data)

# Usage
subscribers = get_subscribers()
new_sub = add_subscriber('[email protected]', 'New User')

Forms

Forms are the gateway to your email list. Let's fetch them:

def get_forms():
    return get_request('forms').json()

# Usage
forms = get_forms()

Sequences

Automate your email flow with sequences:

def get_sequences():
    return get_request('sequences').json()

def add_subscriber_to_sequence(email, sequence_id):
    data = {'email': email}
    return requests.post(f"{BASE_URL}sequences/{sequence_id}/subscribe", params={'api_key': API_KEY}, json=data)

# Usage
sequences = get_sequences()
add_subscriber_to_sequence('[email protected]', '12345')

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Let's be good API citizens and handle errors gracefully:

import time

def api_request(method, endpoint, **kwargs):
    url = f"{BASE_URL}{endpoint}"
    for attempt in range(3):
        response = method(url, params={'api_key': API_KEY}, **kwargs)
        if response.status_code == 429:  # Too Many Requests
            time.sleep(30)  # Wait for 30 seconds before retrying
        elif response.status_code == 200:
            return response.json()
        else:
            response.raise_for_status()
    raise Exception("API request failed after 3 attempts")

Building a Simple CLI Tool

Let's wrap this up in a neat CLI package:

import argparse

def main():
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='ConvertKit API CLI')
    parser.add_argument('action', choices=['list_subscribers', 'add_subscriber'])
    parser.add_argument('--email', help='Subscriber email')
    parser.add_argument('--name', help='Subscriber name')
    
    args = parser.parse_args()
    
    if args.action == 'list_subscribers':
        print(get_subscribers())
    elif args.action == 'add_subscriber':
        print(add_subscriber(args.email, args.name))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Testing the Integration

Don't forget to test! Here's a simple unit test to get you started:

import unittest
from unittest.mock import patch
from your_module import get_subscribers

class TestConvertKitAPI(unittest.TestCase):
    @patch('your_module.requests.get')
    def test_get_subscribers(self, mock_get):
        mock_get.return_value.json.return_value = {'subscribers': []}
        result = get_subscribers()
        self.assertEqual(result, {'subscribers': []})

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

Best Practices and Optimization

Remember to cache results when possible and use batch operations for bulk updates. Your API quota (and ConvertKit's servers) will thank you!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your ConvertKit API integration. From here, sky's the limit - maybe add some async operations or build a full-fledged Django app?

Remember, the ConvertKit API docs are your best friend. Happy coding, and may your email lists always be growing!