Quick Guide to Implementing Webhooks in Front

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your Front integration with webhooks? You're in the right place. Webhooks are like the cool kids of real-time data transfer, letting your app know instantly when something exciting happens in Front. Let's dive in and get those webhooks up and running!

Prerequisites

Before we jump into the code, make sure you've got:

• Front API access (with those shiny credentials)
• A Node.js environment that's ready to rock

Got 'em? Great! Let's move on to the fun stuff.

Setting up a Webhook Endpoint

First things first, we need somewhere for Front to send those juicy webhook events. Let's whip up a quick Express.js server:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
app.use(express.json());

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  console.log('Webhook received:', req.body);
  res.sendStatus(200);
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Webhook server running on port 3000'));

Boom! You've got a basic webhook endpoint ready to catch those Front events.

Registering a Webhook with Front API

Now, let's tell Front about our shiny new endpoint. We'll use the Front API to set up a webhook subscription:

const axios = require('axios');

async function registerWebhook() {
  try {
    const response = await axios.post('https://api2.frontapp.com/webhooks', {
      url: 'https://your-server.com/webhook',
      events: ['conversation.assigned', 'message.received']
    }, {
      headers: {
        'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_FRONT_API_TOKEN'
      }
    });
    console.log('Webhook registered:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error registering webhook:', error);
  }
}

registerWebhook();

Just replace YOUR_FRONT_API_TOKEN with your actual token, and you're good to go!

Handling Webhook Events

When those events start rolling in, you'll want to handle them like a pro. Here's how to parse the payload and verify the signature:

const crypto = require('crypto');

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  const signature = req.headers['x-front-signature'];
  const payload = JSON.stringify(req.body);
  const expectedSignature = crypto
    .createHmac('sha256', 'YOUR_WEBHOOK_SECRET')
    .update(payload)
    .digest('hex');

  if (signature === expectedSignature) {
    // It's legit! Handle the event
    handleEvent(req.body);
    res.sendStatus(200);
  } else {
    res.sendStatus(403);
  }
});

function handleEvent(event) {
  switch(event.type) {
    case 'conversation.assigned':
      console.log('Conversation assigned to:', event.data.target.name);
      break;
    case 'message.received':
      console.log('New message from:', event.data.message.author.name);
      break;
    // Handle other event types
  }
}

Common Webhook Use Cases

Now that you're handling events like a champ, let's look at a quick example of updating an external system:

async function updateExternalSystem(conversationId, assignee) {
  try {
    await axios.post('https://your-crm-system.com/update', {
      frontConversationId: conversationId,
      assignedTo: assignee
    });
    console.log('External system updated successfully');
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error updating external system:', error);
  }
}

Best Practices

Remember, with great webhook power comes great responsibility:

• Always handle errors gracefully
• Implement retry logic for failed webhook deliveries
• Consider using a queue system for high-volume webhooks to prevent overwhelming your server

Testing and Debugging

Front's got your back with some nifty testing tools. Use their webhook tester to send sample payloads to your endpoint. And if things go sideways, double-check your server logs and Front's webhook delivery history.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now armed and dangerous with webhook knowledge. Remember, webhooks are your friends - they're here to make your Front integration more responsive and powerful.

Keep experimenting, keep building, and most importantly, keep having fun with it. Happy coding!