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

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of SurveyMonkey API integration? Let's get cracking with this concise guide using the surveymonkey package. We'll assume you're already familiar with the basics, so we'll keep things snappy and to the point.

Prerequisites

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

• Node.js and npm installed
• A SurveyMonkey account with API credentials

Got those? Great! Let's roll.

Setting Up the Project

First things first, let's get our project set up:

mkdir surveymonkey-integration
cd surveymonkey-integration
npm init -y
npm install surveymonkey

Easy peasy, right?

Authentication

Now, let's get you authenticated:

const SurveyMonkey = require('surveymonkey');
const client = SurveyMonkey('YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN');

Replace 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN' with your actual token, and you're good to go!

Basic API Operations

Let's start with some basic operations:

Fetching Surveys

client.getSurveyList().then((surveys) => {
  console.log(surveys);
}).catch((error) => {
  console.error(error);
});

Retrieving Survey Details

client.getSurveyDetails({ id: 'SURVEY_ID' }).then((details) => {
  console.log(details);
}).catch((error) => {
  console.error(error);
});

Getting Survey Responses

client.getSurveyResponseList({ id: 'SURVEY_ID' }).then((responses) => {
  console.log(responses);
}).catch((error) => {
  console.error(error);
});

Advanced Operations

Ready to level up? Let's create and modify surveys:

Creating a New Survey

const surveyData = {
  title: 'My Awesome Survey',
  pages: [{ questions: [{ type: 'text', text: 'What's your favorite color?' }] }]
};

client.createSurvey(surveyData).then((newSurvey) => {
  console.log(newSurvey);
}).catch((error) => {
  console.error(error);
});

Adding Questions to a Survey

const questionData = {
  text: 'How many cups of coffee do you drink per day?',
  type: 'single_choice',
  answers: {
    choices: [
      { text: '0-1' },
      { text: '2-3' },
      { text: '4 or more' }
    ]
  }
};

client.createQuestion({ id: 'SURVEY_ID', page_id: 'PAGE_ID' }, questionData).then((newQuestion) => {
  console.log(newQuestion);
}).catch((error) => {
  console.error(error);
});

Handling Pagination and Rate Limits

When dealing with large datasets, pagination is your friend:

async function getAllSurveys() {
  let page = 1;
  let allSurveys = [];
  
  while (true) {
    const surveys = await client.getSurveyList({ page });
    allSurveys = allSurveys.concat(surveys.data);
    
    if (!surveys.links.next) break;
    page++;
    
    // Be nice to the API
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
  }
  
  return allSurveys;
}

Error Handling and Best Practices

Always wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks and log errors properly:

try {
  const surveys = await client.getSurveyList();
  console.log(surveys);
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Error fetching surveys:', error.message);
  // Handle the error appropriately
}

Example Use Case: Simple Survey Dashboard

Let's put it all together with a basic survey dashboard:

async function displaySurveyDashboard() {
  try {
    const surveys = await client.getSurveyList();
    
    for (const survey of surveys.data) {
      console.log(`Survey: ${survey.title}`);
      
      const responses = await client.getSurveyResponseList({ id: survey.id });
      console.log(`Total Responses: ${responses.total}`);
      
      console.log('---');
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error displaying dashboard:', error.message);
  }
}

displaySurveyDashboard();

Wrapping Up

And there you have it! You're now equipped to integrate SurveyMonkey into your JS projects like a pro. Remember to check out the official SurveyMonkey API docs for more advanced features and always keep an eye on those rate limits.

Happy coding, and may your surveys be ever insightful! 🚀📊