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

Hey there, fellow Ruby enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of email marketing automation with SendFox? Let's roll up our sleeves and build a robust API integration that'll make your life easier and your campaigns more powerful.

Introduction

SendFox's API is a gem (pun intended) for developers looking to streamline their email marketing workflows. We're going to build an integration that'll let you manage contacts, lists, and campaigns with just a few lines of Ruby code. Trust me, your future self will thank you for this.

Prerequisites

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

• Ruby 2.7+ installed (come on, live a little on the edge!)
• A SendFox API key (if you don't have one, go grab it from your SendFox dashboard)
• Your favorite code editor (VS Code, Vim, or even Notepad++ if you're feeling nostalgic)

Setting Up the Project

First things first, let's get our project structure in order:

mkdir sendfox_integration
cd sendfox_integration
bundle init

Now, crack open that Gemfile and add these lines:

gem 'httparty'
gem 'dotenv'

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

Configuring the SendFox API Client

Let's create a simple client class to handle our API calls:

require 'httparty'
require 'dotenv/load'

class SendFoxClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.sendfox.com/v1'

  def initialize
    @options = {
      headers: {
        'Authorization' => "Bearer #{ENV['SENDFOX_API_KEY']}",
        'Content-Type' => 'application/json'
      }
    }
  end

  # We'll add more methods here soon!
end

Don't forget to create a .env file in your project root and add your API key:

SENDFOX_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Implementing Core API Functionalities

Managing Contacts

Let's add some methods to our SendFoxClient class:

def add_contact(email, first_name = nil, last_name = nil)
  post('/contacts', body: {
    email: email,
    first_name: first_name,
    last_name: last_name
  }.compact.to_json)
end

def get_contacts
  get('/contacts')
end

def update_contact(id, params)
  patch("/contacts/#{id}", body: params.to_json)
end

def delete_contact(id)
  delete("/contacts/#{id}")
end

Handling Lists

def create_list(name)
  post('/lists', body: { name: name }.to_json)
end

def get_list(id)
  get("/lists/#{id}")
end

def add_contact_to_list(list_id, contact_id)
  post("/lists/#{list_id}/contacts", body: { id: contact_id }.to_json)
end

Working with Campaigns

def create_campaign(name, subject, body, list_id)
  post('/campaigns', body: {
    name: name,
    subject: subject,
    email_body: body,
    lists: [list_id]
  }.to_json)
end

def send_campaign(id)
  post("/campaigns/#{id}/send")
end

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Let's add some retry logic and respect those rate limits:

def request_with_retry(method, path, options = {})
  retries = 0
  begin
    response = self.class.send(method, path, @options.merge(options))
    raise "Rate limit exceeded" if response.code == 429
    response
  rescue StandardError => e
    retries += 1
    if retries < 3
      sleep(2 ** retries)
      retry
    else
      raise e
    end
  end
end

Now, update all your API methods to use request_with_retry instead of direct HTTP calls.

Testing the Integration

Here's a quick test script to make sure everything's working:

client = SendFoxClient.new

# Add a contact
response = client.add_contact('[email protected]', 'John', 'Doe')
puts "Contact added: #{response}"

# Get all contacts
contacts = client.get_contacts
puts "Contacts: #{contacts}"

# Create a list
list = client.create_list('My Awesome List')
puts "List created: #{list}"

# Create and send a campaign
campaign = client.create_campaign('Test Campaign', 'Hello World', '<h1>Welcome!</h1>', list['id'])
puts "Campaign created: #{campaign}"

send_result = client.send_campaign(campaign['id'])
puts "Campaign sent: #{send_result}"

Best Practices and Optimization

• Cache API responses when possible to reduce API calls
• Use batch operations for adding multiple contacts
• Always validate user input before sending it to the API

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a powerful SendFox API integration in Ruby. With this foundation, you can automate your email marketing tasks, sync data between systems, and create some seriously cool workflows.

Remember, the API is your playground – don't be afraid to experiment and build something awesome. Happy coding, and may your open rates be ever in your favor!