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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to supercharge your CRM game with Salesmate? Let's dive into building a slick API integration that'll have your Ruby app talking to Salesmate like they're old pals.

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ (because we're not living in the stone age)
• The httparty gem (our trusty HTTP sidekick)
• Your Salesmate API credentials (don't leave home without 'em)

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project off the ground:

mkdir salesmate_integration
cd salesmate_integration
bundle init

Now, crack open that Gemfile and add:

gem 'httparty'

Run bundle install, and we're cooking with gas!

Authentication

Alright, time to make friends with the Salesmate API. Grab your API key from your Salesmate account and let's create a client:

require 'httparty'

class SalesmateClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.salesmate.io/v3'

  def initialize(api_key)
    @options = { headers: { 'X-API-KEY' => api_key } }
  end

  # We'll add more methods here soon!
end

Making API requests

Now for the fun part - let's start chatting with Salesmate:

client = SalesmateClient.new('your_api_key_here')

# GET request
def get_contacts
  self.class.get('/contacts', @options)
end

# POST request
def create_contact(contact_data)
  self.class.post('/contacts', @options.merge(body: contact_data.to_json))
end

Implementing key Salesmate features

Let's beef up our client with some real-world functionality:

class SalesmateClient
  # ... previous code ...

  def create_deal(deal_data)
    self.class.post('/deals', @options.merge(body: deal_data.to_json))
  end

  def update_task(task_id, task_data)
    self.class.put("/tasks/#{task_id}", @options.merge(body: task_data.to_json))
  end
end

Error handling and rate limiting

Don't let those pesky errors catch you off guard:

def make_request
  retries = 0
  begin
    yield
  rescue HTTParty::Error => e
    retries += 1
    if retries <= 3
      sleep(2 ** retries)
      retry
    else
      raise e
    end
  end
end

And remember, play nice with rate limits. No one likes a spammer!

Testing the integration

Time to make sure our code isn't just a pretty face:

require 'minitest/autorun'

class TestSalesmateClient < Minitest::Test
  def setup
    @client = SalesmateClient.new('test_api_key')
  end

  def test_get_contacts
    # Mock the API response and assert the results
  end

  # Add more tests for other methods
end

Best practices and optimization

• Cache frequently accessed data to reduce API calls
• Use batch operations when dealing with multiple records
• Keep your API key safe (use environment variables, not hard-coded strings)

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a Ruby integration with Salesmate that would make DHH proud. Remember, this is just the beginning - there's a whole world of Salesmate API endpoints to explore. So go forth and integrate, you magnificent Ruby developer, you!

Need more info? Check out the Salesmate API docs for the full lowdown. Happy coding!