Reading and Writing Data Using the SafetyCulture API

Hey there, fellow JavaScript devs! Ready to dive into the world of SafetyCulture API? Let's get our hands dirty with some data syncing for user-facing integrations. Buckle up, because we're about to make your life a whole lot easier.

Authentication: Your Golden Ticket

First things first, let's get you authenticated. Grab your API credentials and let's implement that OAuth 2.0 flow. Here's a quick snippet to get you started:

const axios = require('axios');

async function getAccessToken(code) {
  const response = await axios.post('https://api.safetyculture.io/auth/token', {
    grant_type: 'authorization_code',
    code: code,
    client_id: YOUR_CLIENT_ID,
    client_secret: YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET
  });
  return response.data.access_token;
}

Reading Data: Fetch Like a Pro

Now that you're in, let's grab some data. Here's how you can fetch a user's inspections:

async function getInspections(accessToken) {
  const response = await axios.get('https://api.safetyculture.io/inspections/search', {
    headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}` }
  });
  return response.data.inspections;
}

Writing Data: Create and Update with Ease

Time to flex those writing muscles. Creating a new inspection? Here's how:

async function createInspection(accessToken, inspectionData) {
  const response = await axios.post('https://api.safetyculture.io/inspections', inspectionData, {
    headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}` }
  });
  return response.data;
}

Syncing Strategies: Keep It Fresh

Real-time or periodic? The choice is yours. Here's a basic sync function to get you started:

async function syncInspections(accessToken, lastSyncTime) {
  const inspections = await getInspections(accessToken);
  return inspections.filter(inspection => new Date(inspection.modified_at) > lastSyncTime);
}

Error Handling and Rate Limiting: Play Nice

Don't let errors catch you off guard. Implement some retry logic:

async function apiCallWithRetry(fn, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
    try {
      return await fn();
    } catch (error) {
      if (i === maxRetries - 1) throw error;
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000 * Math.pow(2, i)));
    }
  }
}

Optimizing Performance: Speed Demon

Handle large datasets like a champ with pagination:

async function getAllInspections(accessToken) {
  let allInspections = [];
  let nextToken = null;
  do {
    const response = await axios.get('https://api.safetyculture.io/inspections/search', {
      headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}` },
      params: { next_token: nextToken }
    });
    allInspections = allInspections.concat(response.data.inspections);
    nextToken = response.data.next_token;
  } while (nextToken);
  return allInspections;
}

Webhooks: Real-time Magic

Stay up-to-date with webhooks. Here's how to process those payloads:

function handleWebhook(payload) {
  const inspectionId = payload.payload.inspection_id;
  // Do something with the updated inspection
  console.log(`Inspection ${inspectionId} updated`);
}

Testing and Debugging: Sandbox Fun

Don't forget to use SafetyCulture's sandbox environment for testing. It's your playground to break things without consequences!

Wrapping Up

There you have it, folks! You're now armed with the knowledge to read and write data like a SafetyCulture API ninja. Remember, practice makes perfect, so get out there and start coding. And hey, if you get stuck, the SafetyCulture docs are your best friend.

Happy coding, and may your integrations be ever smooth and your data always in sync!