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How to build a public Drift integration: Building the Auth Flow

Aug 3, 20245 minute read

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiasts! Ready to dive into the world of Drift integrations? Today, we're going to walk through building a rock-solid authorization flow for your public Drift integration. Buckle up, because we're about to make your integration secure and user-friendly in no time!

Prerequisites

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

  • A Drift developer account (if you don't have one, go grab it!)
  • A solid grasp on OAuth 2.0 (don't worry, we'll refresh your memory)
  • Node.js and Express.js set up and ready to roll

Setting up the Drift App

First things first, let's get your app set up in the Drift Developer Portal:

  1. Head over to the Drift Developer Portal and create a new app.
  2. Configure your OAuth settings. This is where the magic happens!
  3. Snag your client ID and client secret. Keep these safe – they're the keys to your kingdom.

Implementing the Authorization Flow

Now for the fun part – let's build that auth flow!

Initiating the OAuth process

const authUrl = `https://dev.drift.com/authorize?response_type=code&client_id=${clientId}&redirect_uri=${redirectUri}`; res.redirect(authUrl);

This little snippet will send your users to Drift's authorization page. Easy peasy!

Handling the callback

When Drift sends the user back to your app, you'll get an authorization code. Time to exchange it for some shiny tokens:

const { code } = req.query; const tokenResponse = await axios.post('https://driftapi.com/oauth2/token', { client_id: clientId, client_secret: clientSecret, code, grant_type: 'authorization_code' }); const { access_token, refresh_token } = tokenResponse.data;

Store these tokens securely. They're your golden ticket to the Drift API!

Token Management

Tokens don't last forever, so let's keep them fresh:

async function refreshAccessToken(refreshToken) { const response = await axios.post('https://driftapi.com/oauth2/token', { client_id: clientId, client_secret: clientSecret, refresh_token: refreshToken, grant_type: 'refresh_token' }); return response.data.access_token; }

Making Authenticated Requests

Now you're ready to rock the Drift API:

const userInfo = await axios.get('https://driftapi.com/users', { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}` } });

Error Handling and Security Considerations

Don't forget to:

  • Handle OAuth errors gracefully
  • Implement CSRF protection (use those state parameters!)
  • Always use HTTPS. Always.

Testing the Integration

Give your integration a whirl:

  1. Try logging in
  2. Fetch some data
  3. Refresh that token

And hey, why not throw in some automated tests while you're at it?

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a secure, user-friendly authorization flow for your Drift integration. Pat yourself on the back – you've earned it!

Remember, this is just the beginning. There's a whole world of Drift API endpoints waiting for you to explore. So go forth and integrate!

Additional Resources

Happy coding, and may your integrations be ever awesome!