Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Tally integrations? Today, we're going to tackle one of the most crucial parts of building a public integration: the authorization flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your Tally integration dreams come true!
Tally is an awesome tool for creating forms and surveys, and building an integration with it can open up a world of possibilities. The auth flow is the gatekeeper of your integration, ensuring that users can securely connect their Tally accounts to your app. We'll be focusing on creating a smooth, user-friendly auth flow that'll make your integration shine.
Before we jump in, make sure you've got:
Let's get this party started! Create a new directory for your project and initialize it:
mkdir tally-integration cd tally-integration npm init -y
Now, let's install the essentials:
npm install express axios dotenv
Tally uses OAuth 2.0 for authorization, which is like a secret handshake between your app and Tally. Here's the basic flow:
Simple, right? Let's make it happen!
First, let's create a route that'll kick off the auth process:
const express = require('express'); const app = express(); app.get('/auth', (req, res) => { const authUrl = `https://tally.so/oauth/authorize?client_id=${process.env.TALLY_CLIENT_ID}&redirect_uri=${encodeURIComponent(process.env.REDIRECT_URI)}&response_type=code`; res.redirect(authUrl); });
When a user hits this route, they'll be whisked away to Tally's authorization page. Magic!
Now, let's set up the endpoint that Tally will redirect back to:
app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => { const { code } = req.query; // We'll use this code in the next step // For now, let's just acknowledge it res.send('Authorization successful! You can close this window.'); });
Time to trade that code for the real treasure - an access token:
const axios = require('axios'); async function getAccessToken(code) { const response = await axios.post('https://tally.so/oauth/token', { client_id: process.env.TALLY_CLIENT_ID, client_secret: process.env.TALLY_CLIENT_SECRET, code, grant_type: 'authorization_code', redirect_uri: process.env.REDIRECT_URI }); return response.data.access_token; }
Now, update your callback route to use this function:
app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => { const { code } = req.query; try { const accessToken = await getAccessToken(code); // Store this token securely - we'll talk about this soon! res.send('Authorization successful! You can close this window.'); } catch (error) { res.status(500).send('Oops! Something went wrong.'); } });
Access tokens don't last forever, so let's implement a refresh mechanism:
async function refreshAccessToken(refreshToken) { const response = await axios.post('https://tally.so/oauth/token', { client_id: process.env.TALLY_CLIENT_ID, client_secret: process.env.TALLY_CLIENT_SECRET, refresh_token: refreshToken, grant_type: 'refresh_token' }); return response.data.access_token; }
Storing tokens is like handling dynamite - treat them with care! Here's a simple (but not production-ready) example using environment variables:
require('dotenv').config(); // Storing process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN = accessToken; // Retrieving const storedToken = process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN;
In a real-world scenario, you'd want to use a secure database and encrypt these tokens. Stay safe out there!
Now that we've got our golden ticket (the access token), let's use it:
async function getForms(accessToken) { const response = await axios.get('https://api.tally.so/v1/forms', { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}` } }); return response.data; }
Always be prepared for things to go sideways. Here's a quick example of error handling:
try { const forms = await getForms(accessToken); console.log(forms); } catch (error) { if (error.response && error.response.status === 401) { // Time to refresh that token! const newToken = await refreshAccessToken(refreshToken); // Try the request again with the new token } else { console.error('An unexpected error occurred:', error.message); } }
Before you pop the champagne, make sure to thoroughly test your auth flow. Try different scenarios:
And there you have it, folks! You've just built a rock-solid auth flow for your Tally integration. Remember, this is just the beginning - there's a whole world of Tally API endpoints waiting for you to explore.
Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, keep having fun! Your Tally integration journey is just getting started, and I can't wait to see what you'll build next. Happy coding!