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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of ShipStation API integration? You're in for a treat. ShipStation's API is a powerhouse for automating shipping processes, and we're about to harness that power with Java. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• A Java development environment (I know you've got this covered!)
• A ShipStation account with API credentials
• Your favorite HTTP client library (we'll use OkHttp in this guide)

Setting up the project

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

mkdir shipstation-integration
cd shipstation-integration
# Initialize your project (use your preferred method)

Add the necessary dependencies to your pom.xml or build.gradle. We'll need OkHttp and Gson:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.squareup.okhttp3</groupId>
    <artifactId>okhttp</artifactId>
    <version>4.10.0</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.google.code.gson</groupId>
    <artifactId>gson</artifactId>
    <version>2.8.9</version>
</dependency>

Authentication

ShipStation uses Basic Auth. Let's create a base request method:

private OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient();
private static final String BASE_URL = "https://ssapi.shipstation.com";

private Request.Builder getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder(String endpoint) {
    String credentials = Credentials.basic(API_KEY, API_SECRET);
    return new Request.Builder()
            .url(BASE_URL + endpoint)
            .header("Authorization", credentials);
}

Core API Interactions

Fetching Orders

Let's grab those orders:

public List<Order> getOrders() throws IOException {
    Request request = getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder("/orders")
            .build();
    
    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        if (!response.isSuccessful()) throw new IOException("Unexpected code " + response);
        
        // Parse the JSON response and return a list of Order objects
        // You'll need to implement the JSON parsing logic
    }
}

Creating Shipments

Time to ship it!

public Shipment createShipment(Shipment shipment) throws IOException {
    String json = new Gson().toJson(shipment);
    RequestBody body = RequestBody.create(json, MediaType.get("application/json"));
    
    Request request = getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder("/shipments/createlabel")
            .post(body)
            .build();
    
    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        if (!response.isSuccessful()) throw new IOException("Unexpected code " + response);
        
        // Parse the JSON response and return the created Shipment object
    }
}

Generating Labels

Let's get those labels printed:

public byte[] getLabel(String shipmentId) throws IOException {
    Request request = getAuthenticatedRequestBuilder("/shipments/" + shipmentId + "/getlabel")
            .build();
    
    try (Response response = client.newCall(request).execute()) {
        if (!response.isSuccessful()) throw new IOException("Unexpected code " + response);
        
        return response.body().bytes();
    }
}

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Don't forget to implement retry logic and respect those rate limits! Here's a simple exponential backoff:

private void retryWithBackoff(Runnable operation, int maxRetries) {
    int retries = 0;
    while (retries < maxRetries) {
        try {
            operation.run();
            return;
        } catch (Exception e) {
            retries++;
            if (retries >= maxRetries) throw e;
            try {
                Thread.sleep((long) Math.pow(2, retries) * 1000);
            } catch (InterruptedException ie) {
                Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
            }
        }
    }
}

Data Models

Create Java classes for ShipStation objects. Here's a simple Order class to get you started:

public class Order {
    private String orderId;
    private String orderNumber;
    private String orderKey;
    private String orderDate;
    // Add more fields as needed
    
    // Getters and setters
}

Webhook Integration (optional)

If you're feeling adventurous, set up a webhook endpoint to receive real-time updates:

@PostMapping("/shipstation-webhook")
public ResponseEntity<String> handleWebhook(@RequestBody String payload) {
    // Process the webhook payload
    // Update your system accordingly
    return ResponseEntity.ok("Webhook received");
}

Testing

Don't forget to test! Here's a simple unit test to get you started:

@Test
public void testGetOrders() throws IOException {
    List<Order> orders = shipStationClient.getOrders();
    assertNotNull(orders);
    assertFalse(orders.isEmpty());
}

Best Practices

• Cache API responses when appropriate to reduce API calls
• Use HTTPS for all API requests
• Store API credentials securely (use environment variables or a secure vault)
• Implement proper error handling and logging

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a robust ShipStation API integration in Java. Remember, this is just the beginning. The ShipStation API has a ton of endpoints to explore, so keep experimenting and building awesome stuff!

Happy coding, and may your shipments always arrive on time! 📦🚚