Step by Step Guide to Building an Ontraport API Integration in Ruby

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Ontraport API integration? You're in for a treat. Ontraport's API is a powerful tool that'll let you automate marketing tasks, manage contacts, and much more. In this guide, we'll walk through building a solid integration in Ruby. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• A Ruby environment set up (I know you've probably got this sorted already)
• Ontraport API credentials (if you don't have these, hop over to your Ontraport account and grab them)

Setting up the project

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

# Create a new Ruby project
mkdir ontraport_integration
cd ontraport_integration

# Create a Gemfile
echo "source 'https://rubygems.org'" > Gemfile
echo "gem 'httparty'" >> Gemfile

# Install gems
bundle install

We're using HTTParty here because it makes HTTP requests a breeze. Feel free to use your favorite HTTP library if you prefer.

Authentication

Alright, time to get cozy with Ontraport's API. You'll need your API key and App ID:

require 'httparty'

class OntraportClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.ontraport.com/1'

  def initialize(api_key, app_id)
    @options = {
      headers: {
        'Api-Key' => api_key,
        'Api-Appid' => app_id
      }
    }
  end

  # We'll add more methods here soon!
end

Making API requests

Now that we're authenticated, let's make some requests:

def get_contacts
  self.class.get('/Contacts', @options)
end

def create_contact(data)
  self.class.post('/Contacts', @options.merge(body: data))
end

Core API operations

Let's flesh out our client with some core operations:

def update_contact(id, data)
  self.class.put("/Contacts/#{id}", @options.merge(body: data))
end

def delete_contact(id)
  self.class.delete("/Contacts/#{id}", @options)
end

Advanced operations

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

def add_tag(contact_id, tag_id)
  data = { ids: contact_id, add_list: tag_id }
  self.class.put('/Contacts/Tag', @options.merge(body: data))
end

def add_to_sequence(contact_id, sequence_id)
  data = { contact_id: contact_id, sequence_id: sequence_id }
  self.class.post('/Sequences/addContact', @options.merge(body: data))
end

Error handling and best practices

Don't forget to handle those pesky errors and respect rate limits:

def make_request(method, endpoint, options = {})
  response = self.class.send(method, endpoint, @options.merge(options))
  
  case response.code
  when 200
    response
  when 429
    sleep(60)  # Wait for a minute if we hit the rate limit
    make_request(method, endpoint, options)  # Retry the request
  else
    raise "API request failed: #{response.code} #{response.message}"
  end
end

Testing the integration

Last but not least, let's write some tests to make sure everything's working smoothly:

require 'minitest/autorun'

class OntraportClientTest < Minitest::Test
  def setup
    @client = OntraportClient.new('your_api_key', 'your_app_id')
  end

  def test_get_contacts
    response = @client.get_contacts
    assert_equal 200, response.code
  end

  # Add more tests for other methods
end

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a robust Ontraport API integration in Ruby. Pretty cool, right? Remember, this is just the beginning. There's a whole world of possibilities with the Ontraport API, so don't be afraid to explore and expand on what we've built here.

Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, have fun with it! If you run into any snags, the Ontraport API docs are your best friend. Happy integrating!