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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of GoCanvas API integration? You're in for a treat. GoCanvas is a powerful platform for mobile forms and data collection, and their API opens up a whole new realm of possibilities. In this guide, we'll walk through creating a robust integration that'll have you manipulating forms and data like a pro.

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ (because who doesn't love the latest and greatest?)
• The httparty gem (our trusty HTTP companion)
• Your GoCanvas API credentials (keep 'em secret, keep 'em safe)

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'

Now, let's set up those API credentials:

API_KEY = 'your_api_key_here'
API_BASE_URL = 'https://www.gocanvas.com/apiv2'

Basic API Connection

Time to dip our toes in the water:

class GoCanvasClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri API_BASE_URL
  headers 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{API_KEY}"
end

# Test the waters
response = GoCanvasClient.get('/forms')
puts response.code # Should be 200 if all's well

Core API Functionalities

Now we're cooking! Let's tackle some core features:

Fetching Forms

def fetch_forms
  response = GoCanvasClient.get('/forms')
  JSON.parse(response.body)['forms']
end

Submitting Form Data

def submit_form_data(form_id, data)
  GoCanvasClient.post("/forms/#{form_id}/submissions", body: data.to_json)
end

Retrieving Submissions

def get_submissions(form_id)
  GoCanvasClient.get("/forms/#{form_id}/submissions")
end

Advanced Features

Let's kick it up a notch!

Handling Pagination

def fetch_all_forms
  page = 1
  all_forms = []
  loop do
    response = GoCanvasClient.get('/forms', query: { page: page })
    forms = JSON.parse(response.body)['forms']
    break if forms.empty?
    all_forms.concat(forms)
    page += 1
  end
  all_forms
end

Error Handling and Retries

def api_call_with_retry(max_retries = 3)
  retries = 0
  begin
    yield
  rescue => e
    retries += 1
    if retries <= max_retries
      sleep(2 ** retries)
      retry
    else
      raise e
    end
  end
end

Building a Wrapper Class

Let's wrap it all up in a nice, tidy class:

class GoCanvasWrapper
  def initialize(api_key)
    @client = GoCanvasClient.new(api_key)
  end

  def forms
    api_call_with_retry { fetch_all_forms }
  end

  def submit_form(form_id, data)
    api_call_with_retry { submit_form_data(form_id, data) }
  end

  # Add more methods as needed
end

Testing the Integration

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

RSpec.describe GoCanvasWrapper do
  let(:wrapper) { GoCanvasWrapper.new('fake_api_key') }

  it 'fetches forms' do
    expect(wrapper.forms).to be_an(Array)
  end

  # Add more tests as needed
end

Best Practices

1. Secure those credentials: Use environment variables or a secure secret management system.
2. Respect rate limits: Implement exponential backoff for retries.
3. Cache when possible: Save API calls by caching frequently accessed data.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid GoCanvas API integration in Ruby. From basic connections to advanced features, you're now equipped to harness the full power of GoCanvas in your Ruby applications.

Remember, the API is your oyster. Keep exploring, keep building, and most importantly, keep having fun with Ruby!

Happy coding, Rubyist! 🚀💎