Step by Step Guide to Building a Keap API Integration in JS

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Keap API integration? You're in for a treat. We'll be using the keap-js-client package to make our lives easier. Buckle up, and let's get coding!

Prerequisites

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

• Node.js and npm installed (I know you probably do, but just checking!)
• A Keap developer account (if you don't have one, go grab it real quick)
• Your API credentials (Client ID and Client Secret)

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

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project set up:

mkdir keap-integration && cd keap-integration
npm init -y
npm install keap-js-client

Easy peasy, right? Now we're ready to rock and roll.

Authentication

Alright, time to get that access token. Here's how:

const { KeapClient } = require('keap-js-client');

const client = new KeapClient({
  clientId: 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID',
  clientSecret: 'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET',
  redirectUri: 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URI'
});

const authorizationUrl = client.getAuthorizationUrl();
console.log('Please visit this URL to authorize the application:', authorizationUrl);

// After authorization, exchange the code for an access token
const { accessToken, refreshToken } = await client.exchangeCodeForToken(code);

Pro tip: Implement a token refresh mechanism to keep your integration running smoothly.

Initializing the Keap client

Now that we're authenticated, let's set up our client:

const keapClient = new KeapClient({
  accessToken,
  refreshToken,
  clientId: 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID',
  clientSecret: 'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET'
});

// Error handling
keapClient.on('error', (error) => {
  console.error('Oops! Something went wrong:', error);
});

Basic API operations

Let's get our hands dirty with some CRUD operations:

// Fetch contacts
const contacts = await keapClient.contacts.list();

// Create a new contact
const newContact = await keapClient.contacts.create({
  email: '[email protected]',
  firstName: 'John',
  lastName: 'Doe'
});

// Update a contact
await keapClient.contacts.update(newContact.id, { firstName: 'Johnny' });

// Delete a contact
await keapClient.contacts.delete(newContact.id);

See? Not so scary after all!

Advanced operations

Ready to level up? Let's tackle some advanced stuff:

// Working with custom fields
const customFields = await keapClient.customFields.list();

// Handling pagination
let allContacts = [];
let page = 0;
do {
  const { contacts, next } = await keapClient.contacts.list({ page });
  allContacts = allContacts.concat(contacts);
  page = next;
} while (page);

// Implementing webhooks (simplified example)
const express = require('express');
const app = express();

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'));

Error handling and best practices

Always be prepared for the unexpected:

try {
  // Your API calls here
} catch (error) {
  if (error.response) {
    console.error('API error:', error.response.data);
  } else {
    console.error('Network error:', error.message);
  }
}

Remember to respect rate limits and implement proper logging and monitoring. Your future self will thank you!

Testing the integration

Don't forget to test your code! Here's a quick Jest example:

test('should create a contact', async () => {
  const contact = await keapClient.contacts.create({
    email: '[email protected]',
    firstName: 'Test',
    lastName: 'User'
  });
  expect(contact.id).toBeDefined();
});

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a Keap API integration using the keap-js-client package. Pretty cool, huh? Remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There's so much more you can do with the Keap API.

Keep exploring, keep coding, and most importantly, have fun! If you need more info, check out the Keap API documentation. Happy coding!