Step by Step Guide to Building a Todoist API Integration in C#

Aug 11, 2024 • 6 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your productivity with Todoist? Let's dive into building a slick C# integration using the Todoist API. We'll cover everything you need to know to get your tasks, projects, and productivity game to the next level.

Prerequisites

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

A C# development environment (Visual Studio, VS Code, or your preferred IDE)
A Todoist account and API token (grab it from your Todoist settings)

Got those? Great! Let's get coding.

Setting up the project

First things first, let's create a new C# console application. Fire up your IDE and get that project started.

Now, we'll need a couple of NuGet packages to make our lives easier:

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json
Install-Package RestSharp

These will handle JSON parsing and HTTP requests like a champ.

Authentication

Todoist uses a simple token-based authentication. Store your API token in a config file or environment variable - never hardcode it! Here's a quick way to use it:

private const string API_TOKEN = "YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE";

Making API requests

Let's set up a basic structure for our API calls:

using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/");
var request = new RestRequest("tasks", Method.GET);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", $"Bearer {API_TOKEN}");

var response = await client.ExecuteAsync(request);

Core functionalities

Fetching tasks

var tasks = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Task>>(response.Content);

Creating new tasks

var newTask = new RestRequest("tasks", Method.POST);
newTask.AddJsonBody(new { content = "Buy milk", due_string = "tomorrow" });
var createResponse = await client.ExecuteAsync(newTask);

Updating existing tasks

var updateTask = new RestRequest($"tasks/{taskId}", Method.POST);
updateTask.AddJsonBody(new { content = "Buy almond milk instead" });
var updateResponse = await client.ExecuteAsync(updateTask);

Deleting tasks

var deleteTask = new RestRequest($"tasks/{taskId}", Method.DELETE);
var deleteResponse = await client.ExecuteAsync(deleteTask);

Advanced features

Want to level up? Try working with projects, labels, and due dates:

// Get all projects
var projects = await client.ExecuteAsync(new RestRequest("projects", Method.GET));

// Add a label to a task
var addLabel = new RestRequest($"tasks/{taskId}", Method.POST);
addLabel.AddJsonBody(new { label_ids = new[] { labelId } });
await client.ExecuteAsync(addLabel);

Error handling and best practices

Always check response status codes and handle errors gracefully. And hey, mind the rate limits - Todoist allows 450 requests per minute, so don't go crazy!

if (response.StatusCode != HttpStatusCode.OK)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Error: {response.ErrorMessage}");
}

Testing the integration

Unit test your key components and don't forget to manually test different scenarios. Trust me, your future self will thank you!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid Todoist API integration in C#. From fetching tasks to managing projects, you're now equipped to create some seriously productive applications.

Remember, this is just the beginning. Feel free to explore more endpoints and features in the Todoist API. The sky's the limit!

Resources

Now go forth and conquer those tasks! Happy coding!