Step by Step Guide to Building a Deadline Funnel API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your C# project with some Deadline Funnel magic? You're in the right place. We're going to walk through building a robust integration with the Deadline Funnel API, giving your application the power to create and manage time-sensitive marketing campaigns like a pro.

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• A Deadline Funnel account with an API key (if you don't have one, hop over to their website and grab it)

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off by creating a new C# project. Fire up Visual Studio, create a new Console Application, and name it something cool like "DeadlineFunnelIntegration".

Now, let's grab the packages we need. Open up the Package Manager Console and run:

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json
Install-Package RestSharp

These will handle our JSON serialization and HTTP requests, respectively.

Implementing the API client

Time to create our API client. Create a new class called DeadlineFunnelClient:

public class DeadlineFunnelClient
{
    private readonly string _apiKey;
    private readonly RestClient _client;

    public DeadlineFunnelClient(string apiKey)
    {
        _apiKey = apiKey;
        _client = new RestClient("https://app.deadlinefunnel.com/api/v1/");
    }

    // We'll add more methods here soon!
}

Core API operations

Let's add some methods to create, retrieve, update, and delete campaigns:

public async Task<Campaign> CreateCampaignAsync(Campaign campaign)
{
    var request = new RestRequest("campaigns", Method.POST);
    request.AddJsonBody(campaign);
    return await ExecuteRequestAsync<Campaign>(request);
}

public async Task<Campaign> GetCampaignAsync(string campaignId)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"campaigns/{campaignId}", Method.GET);
    return await ExecuteRequestAsync<Campaign>(request);
}

// Add similar methods for updating and deleting campaigns

Working with deadlines

Now for the fun part - setting and checking deadlines:

public async Task SetDeadlineAsync(string campaignId, string email, DateTime deadline)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"campaigns/{campaignId}/deadlines", Method.POST);
    request.AddJsonBody(new { email, deadline });
    await ExecuteRequestAsync<object>(request);
}

public async Task<bool> CheckDeadlineAsync(string campaignId, string email)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"campaigns/{campaignId}/deadlines/{email}", Method.GET);
    var response = await ExecuteRequestAsync<DeadlineResponse>(request);
    return response.HasExpired;
}

Handling webhooks

If you're using webhooks, here's a quick example of how to handle them:

[HttpPost("webhook")]
public IActionResult HandleWebhook([FromBody] WebhookPayload payload)
{
    // Process the webhook payload
    // You might want to verify the webhook signature here
    return Ok();
}

Error handling and logging

Don't forget to wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks and log any errors:

private async Task<T> ExecuteRequestAsync<T>(RestRequest request)
{
    try
    {
        request.AddHeader("Authorization", $"Bearer {_apiKey}");
        var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync<T>(request);
        if (!response.IsSuccessful)
        {
            // Log the error
            throw new Exception($"API request failed: {response.ErrorMessage}");
        }
        return response.Data;
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        // Log the exception
        throw;
    }
}

Testing the integration

Now that we've got our integration set up, it's crucial to test it thoroughly. Write unit tests for each method in your client, and don't forget to do some integration testing with the actual API (but be mindful of rate limits during testing).

Best practices and optimization

Speaking of rate limits, make sure you're not hammering the API unnecessarily. Implement caching where it makes sense, especially for data that doesn't change often.

Also, consider implementing retry logic for failed requests - sometimes networks can be finicky!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Deadline Funnel API integration in C#. You're now equipped to create time-sensitive marketing campaigns that would make even the most seasoned marketers jealous.

Remember, this is just the beginning. There's always room to expand and improve your integration. Keep an eye on the Deadline Funnel API documentation for any updates or new features.

Now go forth and create some urgency in your marketing campaigns! Happy coding!