Step by Step Guide to Building a PDF.co API Integration in JS

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code wranglers! Ready to supercharge your JavaScript projects with some PDF magic? Let's dive into the world of PDF.co API integration using the nifty pdfco-node package. This powerhouse combo will have you manipulating PDFs like a pro in no time.

Prerequisites

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

• Node.js installed (you're a dev, so I'm betting you do)
• A PDF.co account with an API key (if not, hop over to their site and grab one)

Setting up the project

Let's get this party started:

mkdir pdf-wizardry
cd pdf-wizardry
npm init -y
npm install pdfco-node

Boom! You're ready to roll.

Basic configuration

First things first, let's import our new best friend and get it set up:

const PDFCoClient = require('pdfco-node');

const pdfco = new PDFCoClient('YOUR_API_KEY_HERE');

Common API operations

Now for the fun part. Let's look at some cool tricks you can do:

PDF to Text conversion

pdfco.pdfToText({
    url: 'https://example.com/sample.pdf'
}).then(result => console.log(result));

PDF merging

pdfco.mergePdf({
    urls: ['https://example.com/doc1.pdf', 'https://example.com/doc2.pdf']
}).then(result => console.log(result));

PDF splitting

pdfco.splitPdf({
    url: 'https://example.com/bigdoc.pdf',
    pages: '1-3,5,7-10'
}).then(result => console.log(result));

Adding watermarks

pdfco.addWatermark({
    url: 'https://example.com/document.pdf',
    watermarkText: 'Confidential'
}).then(result => console.log(result));

Error handling and best practices

Don't let errors catch you off guard. Wrap your API calls in try/catch blocks:

try {
    const result = await pdfco.pdfToText({ url: 'https://example.com/sample.pdf' });
    console.log(result);
} catch (error) {
    console.error('Oops!', error.message);
}

And remember, play nice with rate limits. Your future self will thank you.

Advanced usage

Batch processing

Got a ton of PDFs to process? No sweat:

const urls = ['url1', 'url2', 'url3'];
Promise.all(urls.map(url => pdfco.pdfToText({ url })))
    .then(results => console.log(results));

Webhooks integration

For those long-running tasks, webhooks are your friend. Set them up in your PDF.co dashboard and listen for the magic to happen.

Testing and debugging

Unit testing is your secret weapon. Mock those API calls and test away:

jest.mock('pdfco-node');
// ... your brilliant tests here

If things go sideways, check your API key, network connection, and the PDF.co status page. You've got this!

Deployment considerations

Keep that API key safe! Use environment variables and never, ever commit it to your repo. When you're ready to scale, consider implementing caching and load balancing to keep things smooth.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now armed and dangerous with PDF.co integration skills. Remember, the docs are your friend, and don't be afraid to experiment. Now go forth and conquer those PDFs!

Happy coding, you PDF ninja!