Step by Step Guide to Building a Formstack API Integration in Ruby

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Formstack API integration with Ruby? You're in for a treat. Formstack's API is a powerful tool that lets you programmatically manage forms, submissions, and more. In this guide, we'll walk through creating a robust integration that'll have you manipulating forms like a pro in no time.

Prerequisites

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

• A Ruby environment set up (I know you've probably got this covered)
• A Formstack account with API access (if you don't have one, go grab it!)

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off by creating a new Ruby project:

mkdir formstack_integration
cd formstack_integration
bundle init

Now, let's add the gems we'll need. Pop open your Gemfile and add:

gem 'httparty'
gem 'dotenv'

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

Authentication

First things first, let's get you authenticated. Head over to your Formstack account and grab your API key. We'll use dotenv to keep it safe:

require 'dotenv/load'
require 'httparty'

API_KEY = ENV['FORMSTACK_API_KEY']
BASE_URL = 'https://www.formstack.com/api/v2'

def api_request(endpoint, method: :get, body: nil)
  HTTParty.send(
    method,
    "#{BASE_URL}/#{endpoint}",
    headers: { 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{API_KEY}" },
    body: body
  )
end

Basic API Requests

Now that we're authenticated, let's make our first request:

response = api_request('form.json')
puts response.body

Boom! You've just fetched all your forms. How easy was that?

Working with Forms

Let's get more specific and fetch a single form:

form_id = '1234567'
form = api_request("form/#{form_id}.json")
puts form['name']

Creating a new form is just as simple:

new_form = api_request('form.json', method: :post, body: { name: 'My Awesome Form' })
puts "Created form with ID: #{new_form['id']}"

Submissions

Time to handle some submissions:

submissions = api_request("form/#{form_id}/submission.json")
submissions['submissions'].each do |submission|
  puts submission['id']
end

Error Handling

Let's not forget about error handling. Always expect the unexpected:

def safe_request(endpoint, **options)
  response = api_request(endpoint, **options)
  if response.success?
    response
  else
    puts "Error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
    nil
  end
end

Advanced Features

Want to set up a webhook? Here's how:

webhook = safe_request('webhook.json', method: :post, body: {
  url: 'https://your-webhook-url.com',
  handshake_key: 'your_secret_key',
  forms: [form_id]
})
puts "Webhook created with ID: #{webhook['id']}" if webhook

Testing

Don't forget to test your integration! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe 'Formstack API' do
  it 'fetches forms successfully' do
    VCR.use_cassette('forms') do
      response = api_request('form.json')
      expect(response.code).to eq(200)
      expect(response['forms']).to be_an(Array)
    end
  end
end

Best Practices

Remember to respect rate limits and keep your API key secure. Never commit it to version control!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Formstack API integration in Ruby. From authentication to advanced features, you're now equipped to create, manage, and analyze forms and submissions with ease.

Remember, the Formstack API is vast and powerful. This guide is just the beginning – there's so much more you can do. So go forth and build amazing things! And if you get stuck, the Formstack API docs are your best friend.

Happy coding, and may your forms always be filled!