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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code wrangler! Ready to dive into the world of Paperform API integration? Buckle up, because we're about to embark on a journey that'll have you seamlessly connecting your JavaScript applications to Paperform's powerful form-building platform. Whether you're looking to fetch form data, submit responses, or set up webhooks, this guide's got you covered.

Prerequisites

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

• Node.js installed (you're a pro, so I'm sure you do)
• A Paperform account (if not, go grab one!)
• Your Paperform API key (find it in your account settings)

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off by setting up our project:

mkdir paperform-integration
cd paperform-integration
npm init -y
npm install axios dotenv

Create a .env file in your project root and add your API key:

PAPERFORM_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Authentication

Time to get that API key working for us. Create an index.js file and add:

require('dotenv').config();
const axios = require('axios');

const paperformApi = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.paperform.co/v1',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PAPERFORM_API_KEY}`,
  },
});

Basic API Requests

Let's fetch some forms and submit data:

// Get all forms
async function getForms() {
  try {
    const response = await paperformApi.get('/forms');
    console.log(response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching forms:', error.response.data);
  }
}

// Submit form data
async function submitForm(formId, data) {
  try {
    const response = await paperformApi.post(`/forms/${formId}/submit`, data);
    console.log('Submission successful:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error submitting form:', error.response.data);
  }
}

// Usage
getForms();
submitForm('your_form_id', { name: 'John Doe', email: '[email protected]' });

Handling Responses

Paperform's API returns JSON responses. Axios parses these for us, so we can directly work with JavaScript objects. For error handling, always wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks to gracefully handle any issues.

Advanced Features

Webhooks

To set up a webhook:

async function createWebhook(url, events) {
  try {
    const response = await paperformApi.post('/webhooks', { url, events });
    console.log('Webhook created:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error creating webhook:', error.response.data);
  }
}

createWebhook('https://your-webhook-url.com', ['form.submitted']);

Pagination

When fetching large datasets, use pagination:

async function getAllForms() {
  let page = 1;
  let allForms = [];

  while (true) {
    const response = await paperformApi.get('/forms', { params: { page } });
    allForms = allForms.concat(response.data);

    if (response.data.length < 100) break; // Assuming 100 items per page
    page++;
  }

  return allForms;
}

Best Practices

• Respect rate limits: Paperform has usage limits, so implement exponential backoff for retries.
• Secure your API key: Never expose it in client-side code or public repositories.

Testing

Here's a quick example using Jest:

jest.mock('axios');

test('getForms fetches forms successfully', async () => {
  axios.get.mockResolvedValue({ data: [{ id: 1, name: 'Test Form' }] });
  const forms = await getForms();
  expect(forms).toHaveLength(1);
  expect(forms[0].name).toBe('Test Form');
});

Deployment

When deploying, ensure your API key is securely stored as an environment variable. Consider using a service like AWS Secrets Manager or Heroku Config Vars to manage sensitive data.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build robust Paperform integrations. Remember, the API documentation is your best friend for exploring more endpoints and features. Happy coding, and may your forms always submit successfully!