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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to supercharge your forms with Paperform's API? Let's dive into building a slick integration using the paperform-ruby package. Trust me, it's easier than you might think, and you'll be up and running in no time.

Prerequisites

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

• A Ruby environment set up (I know you've got this!)
• A Paperform account with an API key (if you don't have one, grab it from your account settings)

Installation

First things first, let's get that paperform-ruby gem installed:

gem install paperform-ruby

Easy peasy, right?

Authentication

Now, let's get you authenticated. It's as simple as initializing the Paperform client with your API key:

require 'paperform'

client = Paperform::Client.new(api_key: 'your_api_key_here')

Basic Operations

Alright, time for the fun stuff! Let's cover the basics:

Fetching Forms

forms = client.forms.list
puts forms

Retrieving Submissions

submissions = client.submissions.list(form_id: 'your_form_id')
puts submissions

Creating Submissions

new_submission = client.submissions.create(
  form_id: 'your_form_id',
  data: { name: 'John Doe', email: '[email protected]' }
)
puts new_submission

Advanced Usage

Ready to level up? Let's explore some advanced features:

Filtering and Sorting Submissions

filtered_submissions = client.submissions.list(
  form_id: 'your_form_id',
  filter: { field: 'email', operator: 'contains', value: 'example.com' },
  sort: { field: 'created_at', direction: 'desc' }
)

Pagination

page_1 = client.submissions.list(form_id: 'your_form_id', page: 1, per_page: 10)
page_2 = client.submissions.list(form_id: 'your_form_id', page: 2, per_page: 10)

Webhook Handling

require 'sinatra'

post '/webhook' do
  payload = JSON.parse(request.body.read)
  # Process the webhook payload
  status 200
end

Error Handling

Don't let errors catch you off guard. Here's how to handle them like a pro:

begin
  result = client.some_operation
rescue Paperform::Error => e
  puts "Oops! Something went wrong: #{e.message}"
end

Best Practices

A couple of quick tips to keep your integration smooth:

1. Mind the rate limits. Paperform's API is pretty generous, but don't go crazy with requests.
2. Keep your API key secret. Use environment variables or a secure key management system.

Example Project

Let's put it all together with a simple script:

require 'paperform'

client = Paperform::Client.new(api_key: ENV['PAPERFORM_API_KEY'])

# Fetch all forms
forms = client.forms.list
puts "You have #{forms.length} forms"

# Get submissions for the first form
first_form = forms.first
submissions = client.submissions.list(form_id: first_form['id'])
puts "Form '#{first_form['title']}' has #{submissions.length} submissions"

# Create a new submission
new_submission = client.submissions.create(
  form_id: first_form['id'],
  data: { name: 'API Test', email: '[email protected]' }
)
puts "Created new submission with ID: #{new_submission['id']}"

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build awesome Paperform integrations with Ruby. Remember, this is just scratching the surface. The Paperform API has tons more to offer, so don't be afraid to explore and experiment.

Happy coding, and may your forms be ever responsive!