Step by Step Guide to Building a Salesmate API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Salesmate API integration? You're in for a treat. We're going to walk through building a robust C# integration that'll have you pulling data from Salesmate like a pro. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• Salesmate API credentials (if you don't have these, hop over to your Salesmate account and grab 'em)

Setting up the project

Fire up Visual Studio and create a new C# project. We'll be using a console app for this guide, but feel free to adapt it to your needs.

Next, let's grab some NuGet packages:

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json
Install-Package RestSharp

These will make our lives easier when dealing with JSON and HTTP requests.

Authentication

Salesmate uses API key authentication. Let's set that up:

public class SalesmateClient
{
    private readonly string _apiKey;
    private readonly string _baseUrl = "https://api.salesmate.io/v3";

    public SalesmateClient(string apiKey)
    {
        _apiKey = apiKey;
    }

    // We'll add more methods here soon!
}

Making API requests

Now, let's add some methods to make API calls:

public async Task<string> GetAsync(string endpoint)
{
    var client = new RestClient(_baseUrl);
    var request = new RestRequest(endpoint);
    request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", _apiKey);

    var response = await client.ExecuteAsync(request);
    if (!response.IsSuccessful)
    {
        throw new Exception($"API request failed: {response.ErrorMessage}");
    }

    return response.Content;
}

// Implement similar methods for POST, PUT, and DELETE

Implementing key Salesmate API endpoints

Let's add methods for some common operations:

public async Task<List<Contact>> GetContactsAsync()
{
    var response = await GetAsync("/contacts");
    return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Contact>>(response);
}

// Implement similar methods for deals, companies, and activities

Error handling and rate limiting

Salesmate has rate limits, so let's be good citizens:

private async Task<string> ExecuteWithRetry(Func<Task<string>> action, int maxRetries = 3)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++)
    {
        try
        {
            return await action();
        }
        catch (Exception ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("429"))
        {
            if (i == maxRetries - 1) throw;
            await Task.Delay(1000 * (i + 1));
        }
    }
    throw new Exception("Max retries reached");
}

Data mapping and serialization

Create classes to represent Salesmate objects:

public class Contact
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    // Add other properties as needed
}

Implementing CRUD operations

Let's implement creating a contact:

public async Task<Contact> CreateContactAsync(Contact contact)
{
    var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(contact);
    var response = await PostAsync("/contacts", json);
    return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Contact>(response);
}

Webhooks (if applicable)

If you're using webhooks, you'll need to set up an endpoint to receive them. Here's a basic example using ASP.NET Core:

[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class WebhookController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpPost]
    public IActionResult ReceiveWebhook([FromBody] dynamic payload)
    {
        // Process the webhook payload
        return Ok();
    }
}

Testing the integration

Don't forget to test! Here's a simple unit test example:

[Fact]
public async Task GetContacts_ReturnsContacts()
{
    var client = new SalesmateClient("your-api-key");
    var contacts = await client.GetContactsAsync();
    Assert.NotEmpty(contacts);
}

Best practices and optimization

• Use asynchronous methods to improve performance
• Implement caching for frequently accessed data
• Use dependency injection for better testability

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for a Salesmate API integration in C#. From here, you can expand on this base, adding more endpoints and fine-tuning the implementation to fit your specific needs.

Remember, the key to a great integration is understanding both the API you're working with and the needs of your application. Don't be afraid to dive into the Salesmate API docs for more details, and always keep an eye on performance and error handling as you build out your integration.

Happy coding, and may your integration be bug-free and performant!