Reading and Writing Data Using the RD Station API

Hey there, fellow JavaScript devs! Ready to dive into the world of RD Station API integration? Let's get our hands dirty with some code and learn how to sync data like pros.

Introduction

RD Station's API is your ticket to seamless marketing automation integration. We're talking about syncing contacts, custom fields, and more. Buckle up, because we're about to turbocharge your user-facing integration!

Authentication

First things first, let's get you authenticated. You'll need those API credentials, so hop over to your RD Station dashboard and grab 'em.

Now, let's implement that OAuth 2.0 flow:

const getAccessToken = async (code) => {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.rd.services/auth/token', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      client_id: YOUR_CLIENT_ID,
      client_secret: YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET,
      code,
      grant_type: 'authorization_code'
    })
  });
  return response.json();
};

Reading Data

Time to fetch some data! Let's start with grabbing contacts:

const getContacts = async (accessToken) => {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.rd.services/platform/contacts', {
    headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}` }
  });
  return response.json();
};

Need custom fields? We've got you covered:

const getCustomFields = async (accessToken) => {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.rd.services/platform/fields', {
    headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}` }
  });
  return response.json();
};

Pro tip: Keep an eye on those rate limits and implement pagination for large datasets. Your future self will thank you!

Writing Data

Creating or updating contacts is a breeze:

const updateContact = async (accessToken, email, data) => {
  const response = await fetch(`https://api.rd.services/platform/contacts/email:${email}`, {
    method: 'PATCH',
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });
  return response.json();
};

Syncing Data

Here's where the magic happens. Let's create a sync function that handles both new and existing contacts:

const syncContact = async (accessToken, contact) => {
  try {
    const existingContact = await getContact(accessToken, contact.email);
    if (existingContact) {
      return updateContact(accessToken, contact.email, contact);
    } else {
      return createContact(accessToken, contact);
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sync failed:', error);
    // Implement retry logic here
  }
};

Webhooks

Want real-time updates? Webhooks are your new best friend:

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  const payload = req.body;
  // Process the webhook payload
  console.log('Received webhook:', payload);
  res.sendStatus(200);
});

Best Practices

1. Batch your API calls when possible to stay within rate limits.
2. Implement exponential backoff for retries on failed requests.
3. Use a job queue for large sync operations to ensure data consistency.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build a robust RD Station integration. Remember, the key to a great sync is handling edge cases and keeping your error handling on point.

Happy coding, and may your data always be in sync! 🚀