Step by Step Guide to Building a Squarespace API Integration in JS

Introduction

Hey there, fellow dev! Ready to dive into the world of Squarespace API integration? Whether you're looking to automate your e-commerce processes, sync content, or build a custom app, you're in the right place. Let's cut to the chase and get your integration up and running.

Prerequisites

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

• A Squarespace developer account (duh!)
• Your shiny API key
• Node.js and npm ready to roll on your machine

Got all that? Great! Let's get coding.

Setting up the project

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

mkdir squarespace-api-integration
cd squarespace-api-integration
npm init -y
npm install axios dotenv

Create a .env file for your API key:

SQUARESPACE_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Authentication

Squarespace uses OAuth 2.0, so let's set that up:

const axios = require('axios');
require('dotenv').config();

const getAccessToken = async () => {
  try {
    const response = await axios.post('https://api.squarespace.com/1.0/oauth2/token', {
      grant_type: 'client_credentials',
      client_id: process.env.SQUARESPACE_API_KEY,
      client_secret: process.env.SQUARESPACE_API_SECRET
    });
    return response.data.access_token;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Authentication failed:', error);
  }
};

Pro tip: Store this token securely and reuse it until it expires.

Making API requests

Now that we're authenticated, let's make some requests:

const makeApiRequest = async (endpoint, method = 'GET', data = null) => {
  const token = await getAccessToken();
  try {
    const response = await axios({
      method,
      url: `https://api.squarespace.com/1.0/${endpoint}`,
      headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` },
      data
    });
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('API request failed:', error);
  }
};

Working with specific endpoints

Let's grab some products:

const getProducts = async () => {
  const products = await makeApiRequest('commerce/products');
  console.log(products);
};

Creating an order? Easy peasy:

const createOrder = async (orderData) => {
  const newOrder = await makeApiRequest('commerce/orders', 'POST', orderData);
  console.log('New order created:', newOrder);
};

Webhooks integration

Squarespace can notify your app about events. Here's a quick Express server to handle webhooks:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.post('/webhook', express.json(), (req, res) => {
  console.log('Webhook received:', req.body);
  res.sendStatus(200);
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Webhook server running on port 3000'));

Rate limiting and best practices

Don't be that dev who hammers the API. Implement rate limiting:

const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');

const apiLimiter = rateLimit({
  windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
  max: 100 // limit each IP to 100 requests per windowMs
});

app.use('/api/', apiLimiter);

Testing and debugging

Always test your API calls. Here's a quick Jest test:

test('getProducts returns products', async () => {
  const products = await getProducts();
  expect(products).toBeDefined();
  expect(Array.isArray(products.items)).toBe(true);
});

Deployment considerations

When deploying, keep your API keys safe. Use environment variables and never, ever commit them to your repo. You know the drill!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now armed with the knowledge to build a solid Squarespace API integration. Remember, the official Squarespace API docs are your best friend for diving deeper.

Now go forth and build something awesome! 🚀