Step by Step Guide to Building a Todoist API Integration in Ruby

Aug 11, 2024 • 5 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your productivity with Todoist? Let's dive into building a Ruby integration for the Todoist API. This powerhouse of task management is about to become your new best friend.

Prerequisites

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

Ruby 2.7+ (because we're not living in the stone age)
The httparty gem (for making API requests a breeze)
A Todoist API token (your golden ticket to task management paradise)

Setting Up the Project

First things first, let's get our project off the ground:

mkdir todoist_integration
cd todoist_integration
bundle init

Now, add this line to your Gemfile:

gem 'httparty'

And run:

bundle install

Authentication

Time to get cozy with the Todoist API. Create a new file called todoist_client.rb:

require 'httparty'

class TodoistClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2'

  def initialize(token)
    @options = { headers: { 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{token}" } }
  end

  # We'll add more methods here soon!
end

Basic API Operations

Let's add some meat to our client:

class TodoistClient
  # ... previous code ...

  def fetch_tasks
    self.class.get('/tasks', @options)
  end

  def create_task(content)
    self.class.post('/tasks', @options.merge(body: { content: content }))
  end

  def update_task(task_id, updates)
    self.class.post("/tasks/#{task_id}", @options.merge(body: updates))
  end

  def delete_task(task_id)
    self.class.delete("/tasks/#{task_id}", @options)
  end
end

Advanced Features

Want to level up? Let's add project and label management:

class TodoistClient
  # ... previous code ...

  def fetch_projects
    self.class.get('/projects', @options)
  end

  def create_project(name)
    self.class.post('/projects', @options.merge(body: { name: name }))
  end

  def fetch_labels
    self.class.get('/labels', @options)
  end

  def create_label(name)
    self.class.post('/labels', @options.merge(body: { name: name }))
  end
end

Error Handling

Let's not let those pesky errors catch us off guard:

class TodoistClient
  # ... previous code ...

  def handle_response
    response = yield
    case response.code
    when 200..299
      response
    when 429
      raise 'Rate limit exceeded. Take a breather!'
    else
      raise "API error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
    end
  end

  def fetch_tasks
    handle_response { self.class.get('/tasks', @options) }
  end

  # Apply this pattern to other methods
end

Testing

Don't forget to test! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

require 'rspec'
require_relative 'todoist_client'

RSpec.describe TodoistClient do
  let(:client) { TodoistClient.new('fake_token') }

  it 'fetches tasks' do
    stub_request(:get, 'https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks')
      .to_return(status: 200, body: '[{"id": 1, "content": "Test task"}]')

    tasks = client.fetch_tasks
    expect(tasks.first['content']).to eq('Test task')
  end
end

Best Practices

Cache responses when possible to reduce API calls.
Use environment variables for your API token. Never hardcode it!
Implement exponential backoff for rate limit handling.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a robust Todoist API integration in Ruby. The world of automated task management is now at your fingertips. What will you build next?

Resources

Now go forth and conquer those tasks! Happy coding!