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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Qwilr API integration? You're in for a treat. Qwilr's API is a powerful tool that lets you create, manage, and customize beautiful documents programmatically. In this guide, we'll walk through building a solid integration that'll have you manipulating Qwilr docs like a pro.

Prerequisites

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

• Node.js and npm installed (you probably do, but just checking!)
• A Qwilr account with API access (if you don't have one, go grab it – it's worth it)

Setting up the project

Let's get our hands dirty:

mkdir qwilr-integration && cd qwilr-integration
npm init -y
npm install axios dotenv

Create a .env file for your API key:

QWILR_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Authentication

Qwilr uses API keys for authentication. Let's set up a little helper function:

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

const qwilrApi = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.qwilr.com/v1',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.QWILR_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
});

Making API requests

Now we're cooking! Let's make a simple request:

async function getDocuments() {
  try {
    const response = await qwilrApi.get('/documents');
    console.log(response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching documents:', error.response.data);
  }
}

Core API functionalities

Here's where the fun begins. Let's create, retrieve, update, and delete documents:

async function createDocument(title, content) {
  const response = await qwilrApi.post('/documents', { title, content });
  return response.data;
}

async function getDocument(id) {
  const response = await qwilrApi.get(`/documents/${id}`);
  return response.data;
}

async function updateDocument(id, updates) {
  const response = await qwilrApi.patch(`/documents/${id}`, updates);
  return response.data;
}

async function deleteDocument(id) {
  await qwilrApi.delete(`/documents/${id}`);
}

Advanced features

Want to level up? Let's work with templates and webhooks:

async function createFromTemplate(templateId, variables) {
  const response = await qwilrApi.post('/documents', {
    templateId,
    variables
  });
  return response.data;
}

async function createWebhook(event, url) {
  const response = await qwilrApi.post('/webhooks', { event, url });
  return response.data;
}

Error handling and best practices

Always expect the unexpected:

qwilrApi.interceptors.response.use(
  response => response,
  error => {
    if (error.response.status === 429) {
      console.log('Rate limit hit. Backing off...');
      // Implement exponential backoff here
    }
    return Promise.reject(error);
  }
);

And remember, keep your API key secret, use HTTPS, and validate all inputs!

Testing the integration

Let's write a quick test:

const assert = require('assert');

async function testCreateAndDelete() {
  const doc = await createDocument('Test Doc', 'Hello, Qwilr!');
  assert(doc.id, 'Document created successfully');
  
  await deleteDocument(doc.id);
  try {
    await getDocument(doc.id);
  } catch (error) {
    assert(error.response.status === 404, 'Document deleted successfully');
  }
}

testCreateAndDelete().catch(console.error);

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a robust Qwilr API integration. You can now create, manage, and customize Qwilr documents programmatically. The possibilities are endless – from automating document creation to building complex workflows.

Remember, this is just the beginning. Dive into the Qwilr API docs to discover more features and optimize your integration further.

Happy coding, and may your Qwilr documents always be pixel-perfect!