How to build a public Tilda Publishing integration: Building the Auth Flow

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Tilda Publishing integrations? Today, we're going to tackle one of the most crucial aspects of building a public integration: the authorization flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your integration secure and user-friendly!

Introduction

Tilda Publishing's API is a powerful tool that allows us to create some pretty awesome integrations. But before we can start playing with all the cool features, we need to make sure our users can securely connect their Tilda accounts to our app. That's where the auth flow comes in!

Prerequisites

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

• Your Tilda Publishing API credentials (client ID and secret)
• A Node.js environment set up with Express.js

Got all that? Great! Let's get started.

OAuth 2.0 Flow Overview

We'll be using the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Grant flow. Don't let the fancy name intimidate you – it's just a secure way for users to grant our app access to their Tilda data without sharing their passwords. The key players in this flow are:

• Client ID: Your app's unique identifier
• Client Secret: Your app's password (keep it secret, keep it safe!)
• Redirect URI: Where Tilda will send the user after they authorize your app

Implementing the Authorization Flow

Initiating the Auth Request

First things first, let's get that authorization URL set up:

const authUrl = `https://tilda.cc/oauth2/auth?client_id=${clientId}&redirect_uri=${redirectUri}&response_type=code`;

app.get('/auth', (req, res) => {
  res.redirect(authUrl);
});

When a user hits this endpoint, they'll be whisked away to Tilda's authorization page. Magic!

Handling the Callback

Now, let's set up our redirect endpoint to catch that sweet, sweet authorization code:

app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => {
  const { code } = req.query;
  // We'll use this code in the next step
});

Exchanging the Code for Access Token

Time to trade in that code for an access token:

const tokenResponse = await axios.post('https://tilda.cc/oauth2/token', {
  client_id: clientId,
  client_secret: clientSecret,
  code,
  grant_type: 'authorization_code',
  redirect_uri: redirectUri
});

const { access_token, refresh_token } = tokenResponse.data;
// Store these tokens securely!

Refreshing the Access Token

Access tokens don't last forever, so let's make sure we can refresh them:

async function refreshAccessToken(refreshToken) {
  const response = await axios.post('https://tilda.cc/oauth2/token', {
    client_id: clientId,
    client_secret: clientSecret,
    refresh_token: refreshToken,
    grant_type: 'refresh_token'
  });

  return response.data.access_token;
}

Making Authenticated Requests

Now that we've got our access token, let's use it to make some API calls:

const tildaApi = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.tilda.cc/v1/',
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}` }
});

// Example API call
const projects = await tildaApi.get('projects');

Security Considerations

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Here are some tips to keep your integration secure:

• Always use HTTPS
• Store tokens securely (consider encryption at rest)
• Implement CSRF protection for your endpoints
• Regularly rotate your client secret

Testing the Auth Flow

Before you ship it, test it! Here's a quick checklist:

1. Start the auth flow and authorize the app
2. Verify you receive and can exchange the auth code
3. Make an API call with the access token
4. Test token refresh
5. Verify error handling for invalid/expired tokens

Consider setting up some automated tests to make your life easier in the long run.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a secure authorization flow for your Tilda Publishing integration. Pat yourself on the back – you've taken a big step towards creating an awesome, user-friendly integration.

Remember, this is just the beginning. Now that you've got the auth flow down, the sky's the limit for what you can build with the Tilda API. Keep exploring, keep coding, and most importantly, have fun with it!

Additional Resources

Want to dive deeper? Check out these resources:

• Tilda Publishing API Documentation
• OAuth 2.0 Specification

Happy coding, and may your integrations be ever awesome!