How to build a public Freshsales Suite integration: Building the Auth Flow

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Freshsales Suite integration? Let's focus on the most crucial part: building a rock-solid authorization flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your integration secure and user-friendly in no time.

Introduction

Freshsales Suite integration is a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline their CRM processes. But here's the thing: without a proper authorization flow, your integration is like a house without locks. Not cool, right? That's why we're zeroing in on building a bulletproof auth flow today.

Prerequisites

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

• A Freshsales Suite developer account (if you don't have one, go grab it!)
• A solid grasp on OAuth 2.0 (don't worry, we'll refresh your memory)
• Node.js and Express.js set up and ready to roll

Got all that? Awesome! Let's get this show on the road.

Setting up the integration

First things first, let's get your app registered with Freshsales Suite:

1. Head over to your Freshsales Suite developer account
2. Create a new application
3. Jot down your client ID and client secret (guard these with your life!)

Implementing the authorization flow

Initiating the OAuth process

Time to kick off the OAuth dance:

const authUrl = `https://your-domain.freshsales.io/oauth/authorize?client_id=${clientId}&redirect_uri=${redirectUri}&response_type=code`;

// Redirect your user to this URL
res.redirect(authUrl);

Handling the callback

Once the user grants permission, Freshsales Suite will redirect them back to your app. Let's handle that:

app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => {
  const { code } = req.query;
  
  // Exchange the code for tokens
  const tokenResponse = await axios.post('https://your-domain.freshsales.io/oauth/token', {
    client_id: clientId,
    client_secret: clientSecret,
    code,
    grant_type: 'authorization_code',
    redirect_uri: redirectUri
  });

  const { access_token, refresh_token } = tokenResponse.data;

  // Store these tokens securely (more on this later)
});

Refreshing the access token

Access tokens don't last forever. Let's keep things fresh:

async function refreshAccessToken(refreshToken) {
  const response = await axios.post('https://your-domain.freshsales.io/oauth/token', {
    client_id: clientId,
    client_secret: clientSecret,
    refresh_token: refreshToken,
    grant_type: 'refresh_token'
  });

  return response.data.access_token;
}

Making authenticated API calls

Now for the fun part - actually using your integration:

async function makeApiCall(endpoint, accessToken) {
  try {
    const response = await axios.get(`https://your-domain.freshsales.io/api/${endpoint}`, {
      headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}` }
    });
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    // Handle errors (more on this in a bit)
  }
}

Error handling and edge cases

Let's face it, things can go wrong. Be prepared:

function handleApiError(error) {
  if (error.response && error.response.status === 401) {
    // Token expired, time to refresh!
    return refreshAccessToken(storedRefreshToken);
  }
  // Handle other types of errors
}

Security considerations

Security isn't just a feature, it's a must-have. Here are some quick tips:

• Never, ever expose your client secret
• Always use HTTPS
• Implement CSRF protection (Express has some great middleware for this)

Testing the integration

Before you pop the champagne, make sure everything's working smoothly:

1. Test the full OAuth flow manually
2. Write automated tests for token refresh and API calls
3. Try to break it (seriously, try your best to make it fail)

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a secure, user-friendly authorization flow for your Freshsales Suite integration. Pat yourself on the back - you've earned it.

Remember, this is just the beginning. From here, you can expand your integration to do all sorts of cool stuff. The sky's the limit!

Now go forth and integrate with confidence. You've got this! 🚀