How to build a public Landbot integration: Building the Auth Flow

Hey there, fellow JavaScript wizards! Ready to dive into the exciting world of Landbot integrations? Today, we're going to tackle one of the most crucial aspects of building a public integration: the authorization flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your Landbot integration secure and user-friendly in no time!

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got your favorite code editor fired up and your JavaScript skills polished. We'll assume you're already familiar with OAuth 2.0 concepts and have a basic understanding of Landbot's integration ecosystem.

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project off the ground:

1. Head over to your Landbot dashboard and create a new integration.
2. Configure the basic settings like name, description, and icon.

Easy peasy, right? Now, let's get to the good stuff!

Designing the Auth Flow

For our integration, we'll be using the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow. It's secure, user-friendly, and perfect for server-side applications. We'll need to set up the following endpoints:

• Authorization endpoint
• Token exchange endpoint
• Token refresh endpoint

Implementing the Auth Flow

Frontend Implementation

On the frontend, we need to kick off the authorization process. Here's a quick snippet to get you started:

const authUrl = `https://your-auth-server.com/authorize?
  client_id=${CLIENT_ID}&
  redirect_uri=${REDIRECT_URI}&
  response_type=code&
  scope=${SCOPES}`;

window.location.href = authUrl;

When the user completes the authorization, they'll be redirected back to your app with an authorization code. Grab that code and send it to your backend:

const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
const authCode = urlParams.get('code');

// Send authCode to your backend

Backend Implementation

Now, let's handle that authorization code on the server:

app.post('/exchange-token', async (req, res) => {
  const { authCode } = req.body;
  
  const tokenResponse = await axios.post('https://your-auth-server.com/token', {
    grant_type: 'authorization_code',
    code: authCode,
    client_id: CLIENT_ID,
    client_secret: CLIENT_SECRET,
    redirect_uri: REDIRECT_URI
  });

  // Store the access token securely
  // Return success response
});

Don't forget to implement token refresh logic to keep your integration running smoothly!

Integrating with Landbot

Now that we've got our auth flow set up, it's time to connect it to Landbot:

1. In your Landbot integration settings, configure the OAuth settings.
2. Set the authorization URL, token exchange URL, and scopes.
3. Test the flow within Landbot to make sure everything's working as expected.

Error Handling and Security Considerations

Always expect the unexpected! Implement proper error handling throughout your auth flow. And remember, security is paramount:

• Use HTTPS everywhere
• Implement PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) for added security
• Store tokens securely (please, no plaintext storage!)

Testing and Debugging

Testing OAuth flows can be tricky, but tools like Postman can be your best friend here. If you run into issues, double-check your redirect URIs, scopes, and token handling logic. And don't be afraid to use those console.log statements – we won't judge!

Wrapping Up

And there you have it, folks! You've just built a secure, user-friendly auth flow for your Landbot integration. Pat yourself on the back – you've taken a big step towards creating an awesome integration that users will love.

Remember, this is just the beginning. Keep iterating, improving, and most importantly, have fun with it! Happy coding, and may your integrations always flow smoothly! 🚀