How to build a public Pipedrive integration: Building the Auth Flow

Aug 11, 2024 • 6 minute read

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Pipedrive integrations? Today, we're going to tackle the auth flow for a public Pipedrive integration. Don't worry, it's not as daunting as it sounds. Let's get started!

Introduction

Pipedrive's API is a powerful tool for building integrations, and it uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication. This means we'll be implementing a secure, industry-standard flow to get our users connected. Exciting, right?

Prerequisites

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

A Pipedrive developer account (if you don't have one, go grab it!)
Node.js and Express.js set up (I'm assuming you're already comfortable with these)

Got everything? Great! Let's build this auth flow.

Setting up the OAuth 2.0 flow

First things first, we need to register our application with Pipedrive. Head over to your Pipedrive developer account and create a new app. You'll get a client ID and client secret - keep these safe, we'll need them soon!

Implementing the authorization request

Now, let's construct that authorization URL. It'll look something like this:

const authUrl = `https://oauth.pipedrive.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=${clientId}&redirect_uri=${redirectUri}&scope=all_scope`;

When a user wants to connect their Pipedrive account, you'll redirect them to this URL. Easy peasy!

Handling the callback

Once the user authorizes your app, Pipedrive will redirect them back to your specified redirect URI. Set up an endpoint to handle this:

app.get('/callback', (req, res) => {
  const authCode = req.query.code;
  // We'll use this code in the next step
});

Exchanging the code for access token

Now for the fun part! We'll exchange that authorization code for an access token:

const tokenResponse = await axios.post('https://oauth.pipedrive.com/oauth/token', {
  grant_type: 'authorization_code',
  code: authCode,
  redirect_uri: redirectUri,
  client_id: clientId,
  client_secret: clientSecret
});

const { access_token, refresh_token } = tokenResponse.data;

Boom! You've got your access token. Store it securely - we'll talk about that in a bit.

Refreshing the access token

Access tokens don't last forever, so let's implement a refresh mechanism:

const refreshTokenResponse = await axios.post('https://oauth.pipedrive.com/oauth/token', {
  grant_type: 'refresh_token',
  refresh_token: storedRefreshToken,
  client_id: clientId,
  client_secret: clientSecret
});

const { access_token: newAccessToken, refresh_token: newRefreshToken } = refreshTokenResponse.data;

Remember to update your stored tokens when you refresh!

Securing the token storage

Security is crucial here. Never store tokens in plain text. Use encryption, secure databases, and follow best practices for handling sensitive data. Your users are trusting you with their Pipedrive access - don't let them down!

Making authenticated requests to Pipedrive API

Now that you have the access token, you can make authenticated requests to Pipedrive's API:

const response = await axios.get('https://api.pipedrive.com/v1/users/me', {
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}`
  }
});

Keep an eye on those rate limits, and handle any API errors gracefully.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've successfully implemented the auth flow for a Pipedrive integration. Pat yourself on the back - you've just leveled up your integration game.

Next steps? Start building out the rest of your integration. The possibilities are endless!

Additional resources

Want to dive deeper? Check out:

Happy coding, and may your integrations be ever awesome!