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

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 web-based documents programmatically. In this guide, we'll walk through building a robust integration in Ruby. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ installed
• The httparty gem (we'll use this for API requests)
• Your Qwilr API credentials (if you don't have these, head over to your Qwilr account settings)

Setting Up the Environment

First things first, let's get our environment ready:

gem install httparty

Now, let's set up our API credentials. Create a .env file in your project root:

QWILR_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
QWILR_ACCOUNT_ID=your_account_id_here

Basic API Connection

Time to test the waters! Let's create a basic client and make a test request:

require 'httparty'
require 'dotenv/load'

class QwilrClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.qwilr.com/v1'

  def initialize
    @options = {
      headers: {
        'X-Api-Key' => ENV['QWILR_API_KEY'],
        'X-Account-Id' => ENV['QWILR_ACCOUNT_ID']
      }
    }
  end

  def test_connection
    self.class.get('/user', @options)
  end
end

client = QwilrClient.new
response = client.test_connection
puts response.code == 200 ? "Connection successful!" : "Oops, something went wrong."

If you see "Connection successful!", you're golden!

Core Functionality

Now that we're connected, let's implement some core features:

Creating a New Qwilr Page

def create_page(title, content)
  self.class.post('/pages', @options.merge(
    body: {
      title: title,
      sections: [{ type: 'text', content: content }]
    }.to_json
  ))
end

Retrieving Page Data

def get_page(page_id)
  self.class.get("/pages/#{page_id}", @options)
end

Updating Page Content

def update_page(page_id, title, content)
  self.class.put("/pages/#{page_id}", @options.merge(
    body: {
      title: title,
      sections: [{ type: 'text', content: content }]
    }.to_json
  ))
end

Deleting a Page

def delete_page(page_id)
  self.class.delete("/pages/#{page_id}", @options)
end

Advanced Features

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

Working with Templates

def create_from_template(template_id, title)
  self.class.post('/pages', @options.merge(
    body: {
      title: title,
      template_id: template_id
    }.to_json
  ))
end

Handling Webhooks

require 'sinatra'

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

Implementing Pagination

def get_all_pages(page = 1, per_page = 20)
  self.class.get('/pages', @options.merge(query: { page: page, per_page: per_page }))
end

Error Handling and Best Practices

Always expect the unexpected! Here's a simple error handling wrapper:

def api_request
  response = yield
  if response.success?
    response
  else
    raise "API Error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
  end
end

Use it like this:

api_request { get_page(page_id) }

Remember to implement rate limiting and follow Qwilr's API usage guidelines to keep your integration running smoothly.

Testing the Integration

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

RSpec.describe QwilrClient do
  let(:client) { QwilrClient.new }

  it "creates a new page" do
    response = client.create_page("Test Page", "This is a test page")
    expect(response.code).to eq(201)
  end
end

Deployment Considerations

When deploying, make sure to:

1. Use environment variables for API credentials
2. Set up proper error logging
3. Implement retry logic for failed requests
4. Consider using a job queue for long-running operations

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Qwilr API integration in Ruby. From basic connections to advanced features, you're now equipped to create, manage, and customize Qwilr pages programmatically.

Remember, the Qwilr API is powerful and flexible. Don't be afraid to experiment and push the boundaries of what you can create. Happy coding!