Step by Step Guide to Building a Fathom API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Fathom analytics? In this guide, we'll walk through building a slick C# integration with the Fathom API. Whether you're looking to pull site data, crunch some numbers, or just flex your API muscles, we've got you covered.

Prerequisites

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

• Your favorite C# IDE (Visual Studio, Rider, whatever floats your boat)
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• A Fathom account with API access (grab that API key!)

Setting up the project

Let's get this show on the road:

1. Fire up your IDE and create a new C# console project.
2. Time to grab some packages. Open up your terminal and run:

dotnet add package Newtonsoft.Json
dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Http

Configuring the API client

Now, let's set up our HTTP client:

using System.Net.Http;
using System.Net.Http.Headers;

var client = new HttpClient();
client.BaseAddress = new Uri("https://api.usefathom.com/v1/");
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = 
    new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE");

Implementing core API functions

Let's write a method to fetch site data:

async Task<string> GetSiteData(string siteId)
{
    var response = await client.GetAsync($"sites/{siteId}");
    response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
    return await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
}

Error handling and rate limiting

Always be prepared for the unexpected:

async Task<string> MakeApiCall(string endpoint)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
    {
        try
        {
            var response = await client.GetAsync(endpoint);
            if ((int)response.StatusCode == 429)
            {
                await Task.Delay(1000); // Wait a second before retrying
                continue;
            }
            response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
            return await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
        }
        catch (HttpRequestException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Attempt {i + 1} failed: {e.Message}");
        }
    }
    throw new Exception("API call failed after 3 attempts");
}

Data processing and storage

Let's parse that JSON:

using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;

var siteData = JObject.Parse(await GetSiteData("SITE_ID"));
Console.WriteLine($"Site name: {siteData["name"]}");

Building a simple CLI interface

Time to make it interactive:

while (true)
{
    Console.Write("Enter site ID (or 'quit' to exit): ");
    var input = Console.ReadLine();
    if (input.ToLower() == "quit") break;
    
    var data = await GetSiteData(input);
    Console.WriteLine(data);
}

Optimizing performance

Let's speed things up with some async magic:

var tasks = new List<Task<string>>();
foreach (var siteId in siteIds)
{
    tasks.Add(GetSiteData(siteId));
}
var results = await Task.WhenAll(tasks);

Testing and validation

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

[Fact]
public async Task GetSiteData_ReturnsValidJson()
{
    var result = await GetSiteData("TEST_SITE_ID");
    Assert.True(JObject.Parse(result).HasValues);
}

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your Fathom API integration. Remember, this is just the beginning - there's a whole world of analytics data out there waiting for you to explore. Why not try fetching some time-based stats next, or maybe build a dashboard to visualize your data?

Resources

• Fathom API Documentation
• HttpClient Best Practices

Happy coding, and may your analytics always be insightful!