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

Aug 12, 2024 • 5 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your Ruby app with the power of Pocket? You're in the right place. We're going to dive into integrating the Pocket API using the nifty pocket-ruby package. It's going to be a breeze, I promise!

Prerequisites

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

A Ruby environment up and running (I know you've got this!)
A Pocket API consumer key (grab one from the Pocket Developer Portal)

Installation

Let's kick things off by installing the pocket-ruby gem. It's as simple as:

gem install pocket-ruby

Or if you're using Bundler (and you should be!), add this to your Gemfile:

gem 'pocket-ruby'

Then run bundle install. Easy peasy!

Authentication

Alright, now for the fun part - authentication. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds!

First, let's get a request token:

require 'pocket'

client = Pocket::Client.new(
  consumer_key: 'your-consumer-key',
  redirect_uri: 'your-redirect-uri'
)

code = client.get_code

Now, generate an authorization URL:

auth_url = client.authorize_url(code: code)

Direct your user to this URL. Once they authorize your app, you can get the access token:

result = client.get_result(code)
access_token = result['access_token']

Boom! You're authenticated. Keep that access token safe, you'll need it.

Basic Operations

Now that we're in, let's do some cool stuff!

Adding items to Pocket

client.add(url: 'https://example.com')

Retrieving items from Pocket

items = client.retrieve(count: 10)

Modifying items

client.modify([
  {
    action: 'archive',
    item_id: '229279689'
  },
  {
    action: 'favorite',
    item_id: '229279690'
  }
])

Advanced Features

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

Searching and filtering items

results = client.retrieve(
  search: 'Ruby',
  tag: 'programming',
  sort: 'newest'
)

Bulk operations

client.modify([
  { action: 'tags_add', item_id: '229279689', tags: 'ruby,api' },
  { action: 'favorite', item_id: '229279690' },
  { action: 'delete', item_id: '229279691' }
])

Error Handling and Best Practices

Remember to handle those pesky rate limits:

begin
  client.add(url: 'https://example.com')
rescue Pocket::RateLimitedError => e
  puts "Whoops! Hit the rate limit. Try again in #{e.retry_after} seconds."
  sleep e.retry_after
  retry
end

And always keep your credentials secure. Use environment variables or a secure credential store!

Testing

Don't forget to test your integration! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe PocketIntegration do
  it 'adds an item to Pocket' do
    VCR.use_cassette('add_item') do
      result = subject.add_item('https://example.com')
      expect(result).to be_success
    end
  end
end

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Pocket API integration in Ruby. Pretty cool, right? Remember, this is just the beginning. There's so much more you can do with the Pocket API, so don't be afraid to experiment and push the boundaries.

Resources

Want to dive deeper? Check out these resources:

Now go forth and build something awesome! Happy coding!