Step by Step Guide to Building a Follow Up Boss API Integration in Ruby

Aug 11, 2024 • 6 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Follow Up Boss API integration? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through the process of building a robust integration that'll have you managing contacts, leads, and tasks like a pro. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

Ruby 2.7+ installed
Bundler for managing gems
Your Follow Up Boss API credentials (if you don't have them, go grab 'em!)

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project off the ground:

mkdir fub_integration
cd fub_integration
bundle init

Now, open up that Gemfile and add these gems:

gem 'httparty'
gem 'dotenv'

Run bundle install, and we're ready to rock!

Authentication

Alright, time to get cozy with the Follow Up Boss API. Create a .env file in your project root and add your API key:

FUB_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Now, let's set up our API client:

require 'httparty'
require 'dotenv/load'

class FUBClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.followupboss.com/v1'
  
  def initialize
    @options = {
      headers: {
        'Authorization' => "Basic #{ENV['FUB_API_KEY']}",
        'Content-Type' => 'application/json'
      }
    }
  end
end

Making API requests

With our client set up, let's start making some requests:

def get_contacts
  self.class.get('/contacts', @options)
end

def create_lead(data)
  self.class.post('/people', @options.merge(body: data.to_json))
end

def update_contact(id, data)
  self.class.put("/people/#{id}", @options.merge(body: data.to_json))
end

def delete_contact(id)
  self.class.delete("/people/#{id}", @options)
end

Handling responses

Now, let's handle those responses like a champ:

def handle_response(response)
  case response.code
  when 200..299
    JSON.parse(response.body)
  else
    raise "API Error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
  end
end

Implementing key features

Time to put it all together:

client = FUBClient.new

# Fetch contacts
contacts = client.handle_response(client.get_contacts)

# Create a new lead
new_lead = client.handle_response(client.create_lead({
  firstName: 'John',
  lastName: 'Doe',
  email: '[email protected]'
}))

# Update a contact
updated_contact = client.handle_response(client.update_contact(new_lead['id'], {
  phone: '123-456-7890'
}))

# Delete a contact
client.handle_response(client.delete_contact(new_lead['id']))

Don't forget to play nice with the API:

def get_all_contacts
  page = 1
  all_contacts = []

  loop do
    response = self.class.get('/contacts', @options.merge(query: { page: page }))
    contacts = handle_response(response)
    break if contacts.empty?

    all_contacts.concat(contacts)
    page += 1
    sleep(1) # Respect rate limits
  end

  all_contacts
end

Testing the integration

Always test your code, folks! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe FUBClient do
  let(:client) { FUBClient.new }

  it 'fetches contacts successfully' do
    contacts = client.get_all_contacts
    expect(contacts).to be_an(Array)
    expect(contacts.first).to have_key('id')
  end

  # Add more tests for other methods
end

Best practices and optimization

To keep things speedy:

Implement caching for frequently accessed data.
Use batch operations when possible (e.g., creating multiple contacts at once).
Implement exponential backoff for rate limit handling.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Follow Up Boss API integration in Ruby. From here, you can expand on this foundation to create even more powerful features. The sky's the limit!

Resources

Now go forth and integrate with confidence! Happy coding!