Step by Step Guide to Building a Looker API Integration in PHP

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Looker API integration? You're in for a treat. Looker's API is a powerhouse that'll let you tap into your data like never before. In this guide, we'll walk through building a robust PHP integration that'll have you querying, analyzing, and visualizing data like a pro.

Prerequisites

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

• A PHP environment (7.4+ recommended)
• Looker API credentials (we'll cover this)
• Composer installed (for managing dependencies)

Got all that? Great! Let's roll.

Authentication

First things first, we need to get you authenticated. Head over to your Looker instance and generate those API3 keys. They're your golden ticket to the data wonderland.

$client_id = 'your_client_id';
$client_secret = 'your_client_secret';

Now, let's implement OAuth 2.0. It's not as scary as it sounds, promise!

$token = base64_encode("$client_id:$client_secret");
$auth_url = 'https://your-looker-instance.com/api/3.1/login';

$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $auth_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
    "Authorization: Basic $token"
]);

$response = curl_exec($ch);
$access_token = json_decode($response)->access_token;

Setting up the API Client

Time to bring in the big guns. We'll use the Looker SDK to make our lives easier.

composer require looker-open-source/sdk

Now, let's initialize our client:

use Looker\SDK\ApiClient;

$client = new ApiClient([
    'base_uri' => 'https://your-looker-instance.com:19999/api/3.1/',
    'verify' => false, // Only for testing! Enable SSL verification in production
    'headers' => [
        'Authorization' => "Bearer $access_token"
    ]
]);

Making API Requests

With our client set up, let's start making some requests. Here's how you can fetch a Look:

$look_id = 123;
$response = $client->get("looks/$look_id");
$look = json_decode($response->getBody());

Want to create a new dashboard? No sweat:

$new_dashboard = [
    'title' => 'My Awesome Dashboard',
    'space_id' => '5'
];
$response = $client->post('dashboards', ['json' => $new_dashboard]);
$created_dashboard = json_decode($response->getBody());

Implementing Key Looker API Features

Now for the fun part. Let's run a Look and execute a query:

// Run a Look
$look_id = 456;
$result = $client->get("looks/$look_id/run/json");
$data = json_decode($result->getBody());

// Execute a query
$query = [
    'model' => 'my_model',
    'view' => 'my_view',
    'fields' => ['field1', 'field2'],
    'filters' => ['date' => '7 days']
];
$result = $client->post('queries/run/json', ['json' => $query]);
$data = json_decode($result->getBody());

Error Handling and Best Practices

Always be prepared for things to go sideways. Implement proper error handling:

try {
    $response = $client->get('looks/999999');
} catch (\GuzzleHttp\Exception\ClientException $e) {
    if ($e->getResponse()->getStatusCode() == 404) {
        echo "Look not found!";
    } else {
        echo "An error occurred: " . $e->getMessage();
    }
}

And don't forget about rate limits! Implement retries and backoff strategies to keep your integration smooth.

Optimizing Performance

Want to speed things up? Implement caching:

$cache = new Symfony\Component\Cache\Adapter\FilesystemAdapter();

$cached_data = $cache->getItem('my_look_data');
if (!$cached_data->isHit()) {
    $data = $client->get('looks/123/run/json')->getBody();
    $cached_data->set($data);
    $cached_data->expiresAfter(3600); // Cache for 1 hour
    $cache->save($cached_data);
}

Security Considerations

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Keep those API credentials safe and sound. Never expose them in client-side code or version control.

Testing and Debugging

Last but not least, always test your integration thoroughly. Write unit tests for your API calls and don't be afraid to use Looker's API Explorer for debugging.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now armed with the knowledge to build a killer Looker API integration in PHP. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't be discouraged if you hit a few bumps along the way. Keep at it, and soon you'll be slinging data like a pro.

Happy coding, and may your queries always return on time!