Step by Step Guide to Building a Givebutter API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Givebutter API integration? You're in for a treat. Givebutter's API is a powerful tool that'll let you tap into their fundraising platform, and we're going to build it right into your C# project. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• A Givebutter account with API access

Got all that? Great! Let's move on.

Setting up the project

First things first, fire up Visual Studio and create a new C# project. Once that's done, we'll need to grab a few NuGet packages:

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json
Install-Package RestSharp

These will make our lives easier when dealing with JSON and HTTP requests.

Authentication

Givebutter uses API key authentication. It's straightforward, but let's make it even easier:

public class GivebutterClient
{
    private readonly RestClient _client;
    private readonly string _apiKey;

    public GivebutterClient(string apiKey)
    {
        _apiKey = apiKey;
        _client = new RestClient("https://api.givebutter.com/v1/");
        _client.AddDefaultHeader("Authorization", $"Bearer {_apiKey}");
    }

    // We'll add more methods here later
}

Making API requests

Now that we've got authentication sorted, let's make a simple GET request:

public async Task<string> GetCampaigns()
{
    var request = new RestRequest("campaigns", Method.GET);
    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync(request);
    
    if (response.IsSuccessful)
        return response.Content;
    else
        throw new Exception($"Error: {response.ErrorMessage}");
}

POST, PUT, and DELETE requests follow a similar pattern. Just change the Method and add a request body if needed.

Working with Givebutter resources

Let's create methods for the main Givebutter resources:

public async Task<string> GetDonations() 
    => await ExecuteRequest("donations");

public async Task<string> GetSupporters() 
    => await ExecuteRequest("supporters");

public async Task<string> GetEvents() 
    => await ExecuteRequest("events");

private async Task<string> ExecuteRequest(string endpoint)
{
    var request = new RestRequest(endpoint, Method.GET);
    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync(request);
    
    return response.IsSuccessful 
        ? response.Content 
        : throw new Exception($"Error: {response.ErrorMessage}");
}

Error handling and best practices

Always wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks:

try
{
    var campaigns = await client.GetCampaigns();
    // Process campaigns
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Oops! Something went wrong: {ex.Message}");
}

And don't forget about rate limiting! Givebutter has limits, so be nice and don't hammer their servers.

Advanced features

Want to get fancy? Let's set up a webhook listener:

[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class WebhookController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpPost]
    public IActionResult ReceiveWebhook([FromBody] dynamic payload)
    {
        // Process the webhook payload
        return Ok();
    }
}

Testing the integration

Last but not least, let's write a quick unit test:

[Fact]
public async Task GetCampaigns_ReturnsData()
{
    var client = new GivebutterClient("your-api-key");
    var result = await client.GetCampaigns();
    Assert.NotNull(result);
    Assert.Contains("data", result);
}

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your Givebutter API integration. Remember, this is just the beginning. There's so much more you can do with the API, so don't be afraid to explore and experiment.

Happy coding, and may your fundraising efforts be ever successful!