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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code enthusiasts! Ready to dive into the world of Strava API integration? We'll be using the awesome stravalib package to make our lives easier. Whether you're building a fitness app or just want to play with your own running data, this guide will get you up and running in no time.

Prerequisites

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

• A Python environment (3.6+ recommended)
• A Strava account and API access (grab your client ID and secret from the Strava API settings)

Installation

Let's kick things off by installing stravalib:

pip install stravalib

Easy peasy, right?

Authentication

Alright, time for the fun part - OAuth 2.0 flow. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds:

from stravalib.client import Client

client = Client()
authorize_url = client.authorization_url(client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID, redirect_uri='http://localhost:8282/authorized')
# Open this URL in a browser, authorize, and grab the 'code' from the redirect URL

Now, exchange that code for an access token:

token_response = client.exchange_code_for_token(client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID, client_secret=YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET, code=AUTHORIZATION_CODE)
access_token = token_response['access_token']

Basic API Interaction

With our token in hand, let's get some data:

client = Client(access_token=access_token)
athlete = client.get_athlete()
print(f"Hello, {athlete.firstname}!")

Working with Activities

Want to see your recent adventures? Here's how:

activities = client.get_activities(limit=5)
for activity in activities:
    print(f"{activity.name} - {activity.distance.num / 1000:.2f}km")

Feeling proud of that morning jog? Let's upload it:

client.upload_activity(
    activity_file=open('morning_run.gpx', 'rb'),
    data_type='gpx',
    name='Morning Run',
    description='Feeling pumped!'
)

Advanced Features

For the data nerds out there, let's grab some detailed activity data:

activity = client.get_activity(activity_id)
streams = client.get_activity_streams(activity_id, types=['time', 'heartrate', 'watts'])

And how about checking out that segment you've been eyeing?

segment = client.get_segment(segment_id)
leaderboard = client.get_segment_leaderboard(segment_id)

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Remember to play nice with the API:

from stravalib import exc

try:
    # Your API call here
except exc.RateLimitExceeded as e:
    print(f"Oh no! Rate limit exceeded. Try again in {e.timeout} seconds.")

Best Practices

• Cache data when possible to reduce API calls
• Use webhook subscriptions for real-time updates
• Respect rate limits and implement exponential backoff

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build some seriously cool Strava integrations. Remember, the stravalib documentation is your best friend for diving deeper.

Now go forth and code something awesome! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️💻