Step by Step Guide to Building a SimplyBook.me API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of SimplyBook.me API integration? You're in for a treat. This powerful API allows you to tap into a robust booking system, and we're going to walk through how to make it sing in C#. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• Newtonsoft.Json NuGet package
• A SimplyBook.me account (duh!)

Got all that? Great! Let's move on to the fun stuff.

Authentication

First things first - we need to get you authenticated. Head over to your SimplyBook.me account and grab your API credentials. Once you've got those, let's implement the authentication in C#:

using System.Net.Http;
using Newtonsoft.Json;

public class SimplyBookClient
{
    private readonly HttpClient _httpClient;
    private readonly string _apiKey;

    public SimplyBookClient(string apiKey)
    {
        _httpClient = new HttpClient();
        _apiKey = apiKey;
        _httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Company-Login", "your-company-login");
        _httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Token", apiKey);
    }
}

Basic API Request Structure

Now that we're authenticated, let's talk about how to structure our requests. SimplyBook.me API uses RESTful principles, so we'll be working with standard HTTP methods. Here's a quick example:

public async Task<string> GetServices()
{
    var response = await _httpClient.GetAsync("https://user-api.simplybook.me/admin/services");
    response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
    return await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
}

Core API Operations

Retrieving Services

Let's start with something simple - getting a list of services:

public async Task<List<Service>> GetServices()
{
    var response = await _httpClient.GetAsync("https://user-api.simplybook.me/admin/services");
    response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
    var content = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
    return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Service>>(content);
}

Managing Bookings

Now, let's create a booking:

public async Task<Booking> CreateBooking(BookingRequest request)
{
    var content = new StringContent(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(request), Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
    var response = await _httpClient.PostAsync("https://user-api.simplybook.me/admin/bookings", content);
    response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
    var responseContent = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
    return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Booking>(responseContent);
}

Handling Clients

And here's how you might get client details:

public async Task<Client> GetClient(int clientId)
{
    var response = await _httpClient.GetAsync($"https://user-api.simplybook.me/admin/clients/{clientId}");
    response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
    var content = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
    return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Client>(content);
}

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

The SimplyBook.me API can sometimes throw curveballs. Let's catch them gracefully:

public async Task<T> MakeRequest<T>(Func<Task<HttpResponseMessage>> requestFunc)
{
    try
    {
        var response = await requestFunc();
        response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
        var content = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
        return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(content);
    }
    catch (HttpRequestException e)
    {
        // Handle rate limiting
        if (e.Message.Contains("429"))
        {
            // Wait and retry
            await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
            return await MakeRequest<T>(requestFunc);
        }
        throw;
    }
}

Advanced Features

Webhooks Integration

SimplyBook.me offers webhooks for real-time updates. Here's a basic webhook handler:

[HttpPost]
public IActionResult HandleWebhook([FromBody] WebhookPayload payload)
{
    // Process the webhook payload
    // ...
    return Ok();
}

Testing and Debugging

Always test your API calls! Here's a simple unit test example:

[Fact]
public async Task GetServices_ReturnsServices()
{
    var client = new SimplyBookClient("your-api-key");
    var services = await client.GetServices();
    Assert.NotEmpty(services);
}

Best Practices and Optimization

Remember to implement caching where appropriate:

private static readonly MemoryCache _cache = new MemoryCache(new MemoryCacheOptions());

public async Task<List<Service>> GetServicesWithCaching()
{
    if (!_cache.TryGetValue("services", out List<Service> services))
    {
        services = await GetServices();
        _cache.Set("services", services, TimeSpan.FromHours(1));
    }
    return services;
}

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to integrate SimplyBook.me into your C# applications like a pro. Remember, the API is your oyster - there's so much more you can do with it. Keep exploring, keep coding, and most importantly, have fun with it!

For more details, check out the SimplyBook.me API documentation. Happy coding!