Step by Step Guide to Building a Formidable Forms API Integration in Ruby

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to supercharge your forms with the Formidable Forms API? Let's dive in and build an integration that'll make your forms work harder than a caffeinated coder on a deadline.

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ (because we're not savages)
• The httparty gem (for making HTTP requests feel like a party)
• A Formidable Forms API key (your golden ticket to form paradise)

Setting up the environment

First things first, let's get our ducks in a row:

gem install httparty

# In your Ruby file
require 'httparty'
require 'json'

API_KEY = 'your_formidable_forms_api_key'
BASE_URL = 'https://api.formidableforms.com/v1'

Basic API Connection

Time to test the waters:

class FormidableFormsClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri BASE_URL

  def initialize
    @options = { headers: { 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{API_KEY}" } }
  end

  def test_connection
    self.class.get('/forms', @options)
  end
end

client = FormidableFormsClient.new
response = client.test_connection

puts response.code == 200 ? "We're in business!" : "Houston, we have a problem."

Retrieving Forms

Let's grab those forms like they're hot cakes:

def get_forms
  self.class.get('/forms', @options)
end

def get_form(id)
  self.class.get("/forms/#{id}", @options)
end

Working with Entries

Entries are the lifeblood of your forms. Let's handle them with care:

def get_entries(form_id)
  self.class.get("/forms/#{form_id}/entries", @options)
end

def create_entry(form_id, data)
  self.class.post("/forms/#{form_id}/entries", @options.merge(body: data.to_json))
end

def update_entry(entry_id, data)
  self.class.put("/entries/#{entry_id}", @options.merge(body: data.to_json))
end

Handling Custom Fields

Custom fields are where the magic happens:

def get_custom_fields(form_id)
  form = get_form(form_id)
  form['fields'].select { |field| field['type'] == 'custom' }
end

def update_custom_field(entry_id, field_id, value)
  update_entry(entry_id, { "field_#{field_id}": value })
end

Error Handling and Validation

Let's not let errors rain on our parade:

def safe_request
  yield
rescue HTTParty::Error => e
  puts "API request failed: #{e.message}"
end

def validate_entry(data)
  # Implement your validation logic here
  true # Return true if valid, false otherwise
end

Advanced Features

For when you're feeling fancy:

def get_entries_paginated(form_id, page = 1, per_page = 25)
  self.class.get("/forms/#{form_id}/entries", @options.merge(query: { page: page, per_page: per_page }))
end

def get_entries_filtered(form_id, filters = {})
  self.class.get("/forms/#{form_id}/entries", @options.merge(query: filters))
end

Performance Optimization

Keep it snappy:

require 'redis'

REDIS = Redis.new

def cached_request(key, expiry = 3600)
  cached = REDIS.get(key)
  return JSON.parse(cached) if cached

  response = yield
  REDIS.setex(key, expiry, response.to_json)
  response
end

def get_form_cached(id)
  cached_request("form_#{id}") { get_form(id) }
end

Testing the Integration

Don't forget to test, or you might regret:

require 'minitest/autorun'

class TestFormidableFormsClient < Minitest::Test
  def setup
    @client = FormidableFormsClient.new
  end

  def test_get_forms
    response = @client.get_forms
    assert_equal 200, response.code
  end

  # Add more tests here
end

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a Ruby integration for Formidable Forms that would make even the most seasoned developers nod in approval. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility – use your newfound form-manipulating abilities wisely!

For more advanced techniques and API endpoints, check out the Formidable Forms API documentation. Now go forth and create forms that are truly... formidable!