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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code enthusiasts! Ready to supercharge your Ruby projects with some sweet Strava data? You're in the right place. We're diving into the Strava API using the nifty strava-ruby-client gem. Buckle up!

Prerequisites

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

• A Ruby environment that's good to go
• Strava API access (create an app in your Strava settings if you haven't already)

Installation

Let's kick things off by adding the gem to your project:

# In your Gemfile
gem 'strava-ruby-client'

Now, give it a quick:

bundle install

And we're off to the races!

Authentication

Strava uses OAuth 2.0, so we'll need to do a little dance to get our access token. Here's the quick version:

client = Strava::OAuth::Client.new(
  client_id: ENV['STRAVA_CLIENT_ID'],
  client_secret: ENV['STRAVA_CLIENT_SECRET']
)

access_token = client.oauth_token(
  code: 'authorization_code',
  grant_type: 'authorization_code'
)

Pro tip: Keep those credentials safe! Environment variables are your friends.

Initializing the Strava Client

Now that we've got our access token, let's set up our client:

client = Strava::Api::Client.new(access_token: access_token)

Easy peasy, right?

Basic API Requests

Time to fetch some data! Let's grab the athlete info:

athlete = client.athlete
puts "Hello, #{athlete.firstname}!"

Want to see those activities? Coming right up:

activities = client.athlete_activities
activities.each do |activity|
  puts "#{activity.name} - #{activity.distance} meters"
end

Advanced Usage

Pagination

Strava's got your back with pagination. Here's how to use it:

page = 1
per_page = 30

loop do
  activities = client.athlete_activities(page: page, per_page: per_page)
  break if activities.empty?
  # Do something with activities
  page += 1
end

Error Handling

Don't let errors catch you off guard:

begin
  client.athlete
rescue Strava::Errors::Fault => e
  puts "Oops! #{e.message}"
end

Rate Limiting

Play nice with the API! Keep an eye on those rate limits:

response = client.athlete
puts "Rate limit: #{response.headers['X-RateLimit-Limit']}"
puts "Usage: #{response.headers['X-RateLimit-Usage']}"

Example Use Cases

Let's put this to work! How about analyzing your performance?

total_distance = activities.sum(&:distance)
total_time = activities.sum(&:moving_time)
average_speed = total_distance / total_time

puts "Average speed: #{average_speed} m/s"

Or generate a quick activity summary:

activities.each do |activity|
  puts "#{activity.name}: #{activity.type}, #{activity.distance}m, #{activity.moving_time}s"
end

Testing

Don't forget to test! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe Strava::Api::Client do
  let(:client) { Strava::Api::Client.new(access_token: 'fake_token') }

  it 'fetches athlete information' do
    VCR.use_cassette('athlete_info') do
      athlete = client.athlete
      expect(athlete.firstname).to eq('John')
    end
  end
end

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now armed and ready to integrate Strava into your Ruby projects. Remember, the strava-ruby-client docs are your best friend for diving deeper. Now go forth and code something awesome!

Happy coding, and may your PRs be swift and your builds be green! 🚴‍♂️💨