Step by Step Guide to Building a FareHarbor API Integration in Java

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of FareHarbor API integration? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through building a robust integration in Java, allowing you to tap into FareHarbor's powerful booking system. Whether you're looking to fetch available items, manage bookings, or handle customer data, we've got you covered.

Prerequisites

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

• A Java development environment (I know you've got this!)
• FareHarbor API credentials (if you don't have these yet, hop over to FareHarbor's developer portal)
• An HTTP client library (we'll be using OkHttp, but feel free to use your favorite)

Setting Up the Project

Let's kick things off by setting up our project:

1. Create a new Java project in your IDE of choice.
2. Add the necessary dependencies to your pom.xml or build.gradle file:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.squareup.okhttp3</groupId>
    <artifactId>okhttp</artifactId>
    <version>4.10.0</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.google.code.gson</groupId>
    <artifactId>gson</artifactId>
    <version>2.8.9</version>
</dependency>

Authentication

FareHarbor uses API key authentication. Here's how to set it up:

public class FareHarborClient {
    private static final String BASE_URL = "https://fareharbor.com/api/external/v1/";
    private final OkHttpClient client;
    private final String apiKey;
    private final String companyShortName;

    public FareHarborClient(String apiKey, String companyShortName) {
        this.apiKey = apiKey;
        this.companyShortName = companyShortName;
        this.client = new OkHttpClient();
    }

    // We'll add more methods here later
}

Making API Requests

Now, let's create a method to make GET requests:

private String makeGetRequest(String endpoint) throws IOException {
    Request request = new Request.Builder()
        .url(BASE_URL + companyShortName + "/" + endpoint)
        .addHeader("X-FareHarbor-API-App", apiKey)
        .build();

    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        if (!response.isSuccessful()) throw new IOException("Unexpected code " + response);
        return response.body().string();
    }
}

Core API Functionalities

Let's implement some core functionalities:

Fetching Available Items

public String getItems() throws IOException {
    return makeGetRequest("items/");
}

Retrieving Availability

public String getAvailability(String itemId, String date) throws IOException {
    return makeGetRequest("items/" + itemId + "/availability/date/" + date + "/");
}

Creating Bookings

For POST requests like creating bookings, we'll need a new method:

private String makePostRequest(String endpoint, String jsonBody) throws IOException {
    RequestBody body = RequestBody.create(jsonBody, MediaType.get("application/json; charset=utf-8"));
    Request request = new Request.Builder()
        .url(BASE_URL + companyShortName + "/" + endpoint)
        .addHeader("X-FareHarbor-API-App", apiKey)
        .post(body)
        .build();

    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        if (!response.isSuccessful()) throw new IOException("Unexpected code " + response);
        return response.body().string();
    }
}

public String createBooking(String bookingJson) throws IOException {
    return makePostRequest("bookings/", bookingJson);
}

Data Parsing and Manipulation

For parsing JSON responses, we'll use Gson:

private final Gson gson = new Gson();

public List<Item> parseItems(String json) {
    JsonObject jsonObject = gson.fromJson(json, JsonObject.class);
    JsonArray itemsArray = jsonObject.getAsJsonArray("items");
    return gson.fromJson(itemsArray, new TypeToken<List<Item>>(){}.getType());
}

Error Handling and Logging

Implement robust error handling and logging:

private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(FareHarborClient.class.getName());

private String makeGetRequest(String endpoint) throws IOException {
    try {
        // ... existing code ...
    } catch (IOException e) {
        logger.log(Level.SEVERE, "Error making GET request to " + endpoint, e);
        throw e;
    }
}

Testing the Integration

Don't forget to write tests! Here's a simple example using JUnit:

public class FareHarborClientTest {
    private FareHarborClient client;

    @Before
    public void setUp() {
        client = new FareHarborClient("your-api-key", "your-company-short-name");
    }

    @Test
    public void testGetItems() throws IOException {
        String items = client.getItems();
        assertNotNull(items);
        assertTrue(items.contains("items"));
    }
}

Best Practices and Optimization

1. Implement rate limiting to avoid hitting API limits.
2. Use caching for frequently accessed, rarely changing data.
3. Batch requests where possible to reduce API calls.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your FareHarbor API integration in Java. Remember, this is just the beginning – there's so much more you can do with the API. Keep exploring, keep coding, and most importantly, have fun with it!

For more details, check out the FareHarbor API documentation. Happy coding!