Step by Step Guide to Building a SafetyCulture API Integration in Java

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of SafetyCulture API integration? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through the process of building a robust integration in Java. We'll cover everything from setup to best practices, so buckle up and let's get coding!

Prerequisites

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

• A Java development environment (I know you've got this!)
• Your SafetyCulture API key (if you don't have one, grab it from your account)
• An HTTP client library (we'll use OkHttp in this guide, but feel free to use your favorite)

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off by setting up our project:

1. Create a new Java project in your IDE of choice.
2. If you're using Maven, add this to your pom.xml:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.squareup.okhttp3</groupId>
    <artifactId>okhttp</artifactId>
    <version>4.10.0</version>
</dependency>

For Gradle users, pop this into your build.gradle:

implementation 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:4.10.0'

Authentication

Authentication is key (pun intended). Let's create a reusable method:

private static final String API_KEY = "your_api_key_here";
private static final OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient();

private static Request.Builder getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder(String url) {
    return new Request.Builder()
            .url(url)
            .header("Authorization", "Bearer " + API_KEY);
}

Making API requests

Now for the fun part - let's make some API calls!

GET request example

public static String getInspections() throws IOException {
    Request request = getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder("https://api.safetyculture.io/inspections/v1")
            .build();
    
    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        return response.body().string();
    }
}

POST request example

public static String createInspection(String templateId) throws IOException {
    RequestBody body = RequestBody.create(
        "{\"template_id\":\"" + templateId + "\"}",
        MediaType.get("application/json; charset=utf-8")
    );

    Request request = getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder("https://api.safetyculture.io/inspections/v1")
            .post(body)
            .build();
    
    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        return response.body().string();
    }
}

Data processing

You'll want to parse those JSON responses. Consider using a library like Gson or Jackson for this. Here's a quick example with Gson:

Gson gson = new Gson();
Inspection inspection = gson.fromJson(jsonResponse, Inspection.class);

Implementing key features

Now that we've got the basics down, let's implement some key features:

1. Retrieve inspection templates
2. Create and schedule inspections
3. Fetch and update inspection data

I'll leave the implementation details to you (I know you've got this!), but remember to use the patterns we've established above.

Error handling and logging

Don't forget to wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks and log any errors:

try {
    String response = getInspections();
    // Process response
} catch (IOException e) {
    logger.error("Failed to fetch inspections", e);
}

Testing the integration

Testing is crucial. Write unit tests for your API calls and consider using a mocking library for integration tests. Here's a quick example using JUnit and Mockito:

@Test
public void testGetInspections() throws IOException {
    // Set up your mock OkHttpClient here
    String response = getInspections();
    assertNotNull(response);
    // Add more assertions as needed
}

Best practices and optimization

As you refine your integration, keep these tips in mind:

• Respect rate limits (SafetyCulture has them!)
• Implement caching where it makes sense
• Consider using asynchronous requests for better performance

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a SafetyCulture API integration in Java. Pretty cool, right? Remember, this is just the beginning. There's a whole world of possibilities with the SafetyCulture API, so keep exploring and building awesome things!

For more details, check out the SafetyCulture API documentation. Happy coding!