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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your content delivery with Fastly? You're in the right place. We're going to walk through building a Fastly API integration in Python. Fastly's API is powerful, flexible, and can help you automate your CDN operations like a boss. Let's dive in!

Prerequisites

Before we start coding, make sure you've got:

• A Python environment (3.6+ recommended)
• A Fastly account with an API key (if you don't have one, hop over to Fastly's website and sign up)

Got those? Great! Let's get our hands dirty.

Setting up the project

First things first, let's set up our project:

mkdir fastly-api-integration
cd fastly-api-integration
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows, use `venv\Scripts\activate`
pip install requests

We're using requests because it's awesome for HTTP operations. Feel free to use your favorite HTTP library if you prefer.

Authentication

Alright, let's get that authentication sorted:

import requests

API_KEY = 'your-api-key-here'
BASE_URL = 'https://api.fastly.com'

def fastly_request(method, endpoint, json=None):
    headers = {
        'Fastly-Key': API_KEY,
        'Accept': 'application/json',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
    url = f"{BASE_URL}{endpoint}"
    response = requests.request(method, url, headers=headers, json=json)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()

This fastly_request function will be our Swiss Army knife for API calls. Nice and reusable!

Basic API Operations

Now, let's cover the CRUD operations:

# GET: Retrieve service info
def get_service(service_id):
    return fastly_request('GET', f'/service/{service_id}')

# POST: Create a new service
def create_service(name):
    return fastly_request('POST', '/service', json={'name': name})

# PUT: Update service settings
def update_service(service_id, new_name):
    return fastly_request('PUT', f'/service/{service_id}', json={'name': new_name})

# DELETE: Remove a service
def delete_service(service_id):
    return fastly_request('DELETE', f'/service/{service_id}')

Easy peasy, right? These functions give you the power to manage services with just a few lines of code.

Advanced Operations

Let's kick it up a notch with some advanced operations:

# Manage VCL snippets
def add_vcl_snippet(service_id, version, name, content, type='recv'):
    endpoint = f'/service/{service_id}/version/{version}/snippet'
    data = {
        'name': name,
        'type': type,
        'content': content,
        'dynamic': '0'
    }
    return fastly_request('POST', endpoint, json=data)

# Purge content
def purge_url(service_id, url):
    return fastly_request('POST', f'/service/{service_id}/purge/{url}')

# Get real-time stats
def get_realtime_stats(service_id):
    return fastly_request('GET', f'/stats/service/{service_id}/realtime')

These functions will make you feel like a Fastly wizard. VCL snippets, content purging, real-time stats – you've got it all at your fingertips!

Error Handling and Best Practices

Don't forget to handle those pesky errors and follow best practices:

import time
from requests.exceptions import RequestException

def fastly_request_with_retry(method, endpoint, max_retries=3, backoff_factor=0.5, **kwargs):
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        try:
            return fastly_request(method, endpoint, **kwargs)
        except RequestException as e:
            if attempt == max_retries - 1:
                raise
            time.sleep(backoff_factor * (2 ** attempt))

This retry mechanism will help you handle temporary issues like rate limits or network hiccups. Smart, right?

Testing the Integration

Testing is crucial, so let's not skip it:

import unittest

class TestFastlyIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_get_service(self):
        service = get_service('your-test-service-id')
        self.assertIsNotNone(service)
        self.assertIn('name', service)

    # Add more tests here

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

Remember to use Fastly's test environment for your integration tests. You don't want to accidentally purge your production content!

Deployment Considerations

When deploying your integration:

1. Never hardcode your API key. Use environment variables or a secure secret management system.
2. Consider using asyncio for non-blocking operations if you're dealing with a lot of API calls.
3. Implement proper logging to make troubleshooting easier.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a robust Fastly API integration in Python. From basic CRUD operations to advanced features like VCL snippet management and real-time stats, you're now equipped to automate your Fastly CDN like a pro.

Remember, this is just the beginning. Fastly's API has a ton more features to explore. Check out their API documentation for more inspiration.

Now go forth and deliver content at lightning speed! Happy coding!