Step by Step Guide to Building a Tidio API Integration in Go

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Go enthusiast! Ready to supercharge your customer communication with Tidio? Let's dive into building a slick API integration that'll have you managing conversations like a pro. Tidio's API is a powerhouse for handling chats, contacts, and more. By the end of this guide, you'll have a robust integration up and running. Let's get coding!

Prerequisites

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

• Go installed (you're a Gopher, right?)
• A Tidio account with an API key (if not, grab one real quick)
• Your favorite code editor fired up

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off:

mkdir tidio-integration
cd tidio-integration
go mod init tidio-integration

Now, let's grab the packages we need:

go get github.com/go-resty/resty/v2

Authentication

First things first, let's authenticate:

package main

import (
    "github.com/go-resty/resty/v2"
)

const baseURL = "https://api.tidio.co/v1"

func main() {
    client := resty.New()
    client.SetHeader("Authorization", "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY_HERE")
    // We'll use this client for all our requests
}

Pro tip: Don't hardcode that API key! Use environment variables in production.

Making API requests

Let's fetch some data:

resp, err := client.R().
    SetResult(&result).
    Get(baseURL + "/conversations")

if err != nil {
    // Handle error
}

// Use result

Sending data is just as easy:

resp, err := client.R().
    SetBody(map[string]interface{}{
        "message": "Hello from Go!",
    }).
    Post(baseURL + "/conversations/123/messages")

Implementing key Tidio API features

Fetching conversations

func getConversations() ([]Conversation, error) {
    var result struct {
        Data []Conversation `json:"data"`
    }
    _, err := client.R().
        SetResult(&result).
        Get(baseURL + "/conversations")
    return result.Data, err
}

Sending messages

func sendMessage(conversationID string, message string) error {
    _, err := client.R().
        SetBody(map[string]interface{}{
            "message": message,
        }).
        Post(baseURL + "/conversations/" + conversationID + "/messages")
    return err
}

Managing contacts

func createContact(email string) error {
    _, err := client.R().
        SetBody(map[string]interface{}{
            "email": email,
        }).
        Post(baseURL + "/contacts")
    return err
}

Error handling and best practices

Always check for errors:

if err != nil {
    log.Printf("Error: %v", err)
    // Handle gracefully
}

Respect rate limits:

time.Sleep(time.Second) // Simple but effective

Testing the integration

Here's a quick unit test example:

func TestSendMessage(t *testing.T) {
    err := sendMessage("test-convo-id", "Test message")
    if err != nil {
        t.Errorf("SendMessage failed: %v", err)
    }
}

For integration tests, use a separate test API key and clean up after yourself!

Deployment considerations

Use environment variables for sensitive info:

apiKey := os.Getenv("TIDIO_API_KEY")

Consider containerizing your app for easy deployment. Docker is your friend here!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Tidio API integration in Go. You're now equipped to handle customer conversations like a champ. Remember, the Tidio API docs are your best friend for diving deeper.

Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, keep having fun with Go!