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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of e-commerce integration? Today, we're going to walk through building a SamCart API integration in Ruby. SamCart's API is a powerful tool that'll let you tap into their e-commerce platform, giving you the ability to manage products, orders, and customers programmatically. Let's get our hands dirty!

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ installed
• Bundler gem
• A SamCart account with API access
• Your favorite code editor (I know you've got one!)

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project set up:

mkdir samcart_integration
cd samcart_integration
bundle init

Now, open up that shiny new Gemfile and add these gems:

gem 'httparty'
gem 'dotenv'

Run bundle install, and we're off to the races!

Authentication

SamCart uses API keys for authentication. Grab yours from your SamCart dashboard and let's keep it safe:

touch .env
echo "SAMCART_API_KEY=your_api_key_here" >> .env

Now, let's create our API client:

require 'httparty'
require 'dotenv/load'

class SamCartClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.samcart.com/v1'
  
  def initialize
    @options = {
      headers: {
        'Authorization' => "Bearer #{ENV['SAMCART_API_KEY']}",
        'Content-Type' => 'application/json'
      }
    }
  end
  
  # We'll add more methods here soon!
end

Making API requests

Now for the fun part - let's start making some requests!

def get_products
  self.class.get('/products', @options)
end

def create_order(order_data)
  self.class.post('/orders', @options.merge(body: order_data.to_json))
end

Don't forget to handle those pesky errors:

def handle_response(response)
  case response.code
  when 200...300
    response.parsed_response
  else
    raise "API Error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
  end
end

Implementing key functionalities

Let's put it all together and implement some key features:

client = SamCartClient.new

# Fetch products
products = client.handle_response(client.get_products)
puts "Found #{products.count} products"

# Create an order
order_data = {
  product_id: products.first['id'],
  customer: {
    email: '[email protected]',
    name: 'John Doe'
  }
}
new_order = client.handle_response(client.create_order(order_data))
puts "Created order with ID: #{new_order['id']}"

Best practices

Remember to:

• Respect rate limits (SamCart's are pretty generous, but still!)
• Cache responses when appropriate
• Keep your API key secret (use environment variables in production)

Testing the integration

Don't forget to test! Here's a quick RSpec example to get you started:

RSpec.describe SamCartClient do
  let(:client) { SamCartClient.new }

  it "fetches products successfully" do
    VCR.use_cassette("products") do
      response = client.get_products
      expect(response.code).to eq(200)
      expect(response.parsed_response).to be_an(Array)
    end
  end
end

Deployment considerations

When you're ready to deploy:

• Use environment variables for your API key
• Consider using a job queue for long-running tasks
• Monitor your API usage to stay within limits

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for a SamCart API integration in Ruby. From here, you can expand on this to build out a full-fledged e-commerce integration. Remember, the SamCart API docs are your friend for more advanced features.

Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, have fun with it! If you run into any snags, the SamCart developer community is always there to lend a hand. Now go forth and integrate!