Step by Step Guide to Building a Strava API Integration in PHP

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code enthusiasts! Ready to dive into the world of Strava API integration? Whether you're building a fitness app or just want to play with some cool athlete data, you're in the right place. We'll be using the awesome goosfraba/strava-sdk package to make our lives easier. Let's get those wheels spinning!

Prerequisites

Before we hit the ground running, make sure you've got:

• A PHP environment (you've got this, right?)
• Composer installed (because who wants to manage dependencies manually?)
• Strava API credentials (if you don't have these yet, hop over to the Strava API website and get 'em)

Installation

First things first, let's get that SDK installed. Fire up your terminal and run:

composer require goosfraba/strava-sdk

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Setting up the Strava API Client

Now, let's initialize our Strava client. It's as simple as:

use Strava\API\Client;
use Strava\API\Service\REST;

$adapter = new GuzzleHttp\Client(['base_uri' => 'https://www.strava.com/api/v3/']);
$service = new REST($token, $adapter);  // We'll get the token in the next step
$client = new Client($service);

Authentication

Time to get that authentication flowing:

$options = [
    'clientId'     => YOUR_CLIENT_ID,
    'clientSecret' => 'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET',
    'redirectUri'  => 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URI'
];

$oauth = new OAuth($options);

// Get authorization URL
$authorizationUrl = $oauth->getAuthorizationUrl(['scope' => 'read,activity:read_all,activity:write']);

// After user authorizes, handle the callback
$code = $_GET['code'];
$token = $oauth->getAccessToken('authorization_code', [
    'code' => $code
]);

Making API Requests

Now for the fun part - let's grab some data!

// Get athlete info
$athlete = $client->getAthlete();

// Get activities
$activities = $client->getAthleteActivities();

// Upload an activity
$client->uploadActivity($filePath, 'ride', 'My awesome ride', 'A great day out!');

Handling Rate Limits and Errors

Don't forget to play nice with the API:

try {
    $result = $client->getAthleteActivities();
} catch (RateLimitExceededException $e) {
    sleep(15 * 60); // Wait for 15 minutes
    $result = $client->getAthleteActivities();
} catch (Exception $e) {
    // Handle other exceptions
}

Advanced Usage

Want to level up? Check out webhooks for real-time updates:

$client->createSubscription($callbackUrl, $verifyToken);

Testing and Debugging

Pro tip: Use Strava's Sandbox environment for testing. And don't forget to log everything - your future self will thank you!

$logger = new Monolog\Logger('strava');
$client->setLogger($logger);

Conclusion

And there you have it, folks! You're now armed and ready to create some killer Strava integrations. Remember, the sky's the limit - or in this case, maybe it's the road ahead. Happy coding, and may your segments always be tailwind!

For more in-depth info, check out the goosfraba/strava-sdk documentation and the official Strava API docs. Now go forth and build something awesome!