Quick Guide to Realtime Data in Tumblr without Webhooks

Aug 2, 2024 • 7 minute read

Hey there, fellow JavaScript aficionados! Ready to dive into the world of real-time Tumblr data without the hassle of webhooks? Let's get our hands dirty with some good old-fashioned polling!

Introduction

We all know the drill - users want fresh, hot-off-the-press content, and they want it now. While webhooks are great, sometimes you just need a quick and dirty solution that doesn't involve setting up server-side infrastructure. That's where polling comes in handy!

Setting Up

First things first, let's get our ducks in a row. You'll need to authenticate with the Tumblr API (I'm assuming you've already got that sorted), and grab your favorite HTTP request library. I'm partial to axios, but you do you.

const axios = require('axios');
const TUMBLR_API_KEY = 'your_api_key_here';

Implementing Polling

Basic Polling Structure

Let's start with the skeleton of our polling function:

function pollTumblr() {
  setInterval(async () => {
    try {
      // Fetch and process data here
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Oops! Something went wrong:', error);
    }
  }, 60000); // Poll every minute
}

Fetching Data from Tumblr API

Now, let's flesh out that skeleton with some meat:

async function fetchRecentPosts(blogName) {
  const url = `https://api.tumblr.com/v2/blog/${blogName}/posts`;
  const response = await axios.get(url, {
    params: { api_key: TUMBLR_API_KEY, limit: 10 }
  });
  return response.data.response.posts;
}

Pro tip: Keep an eye on those rate limits! Tumblr's not too keen on us hammering their servers.

Efficient Data Comparison

Here's where it gets interesting. We don't want to bombard our users with data they've already seen:

let lastKnownPost = null;

function processNewPosts(posts) {
  const newPosts = posts.filter(post => {
    return !lastKnownPost || new Date(post.date) > new Date(lastKnownPost.date);
  });
  
  if (newPosts.length > 0) {
    lastKnownPost = newPosts[0];
    updateUI(newPosts);
  }
}

Optimizing the Polling Process

Dynamic Polling Intervals

Let's get smart about when we poll:

let pollInterval = 60000; // Start with 1 minute

function adjustPollInterval(newPosts) {
  if (newPosts.length > 0) {
    pollInterval = Math.max(30000, pollInterval / 2); // Increase frequency, min 30 seconds
  } else {
    pollInterval = Math.min(300000, pollInterval * 2); // Decrease frequency, max 5 minutes
  }
}

Batch Processing

When it rains, it pours. Let's handle multiple updates gracefully:

function updateUI(posts) {
  posts.forEach(post => {
    // Process each post
    console.log(`New post: ${post.title}`);
  });
}

Error Handling and Resilience

Nobody likes a quitter. Let's make our polling function resilient:

let retryCount = 0;

async function resilientFetch(blogName) {
  try {
    const posts = await fetchRecentPosts(blogName);
    retryCount = 0;
    return posts;
  } catch (error) {
    retryCount++;
    const delay = Math.min(1000 * 2 ** retryCount, 60000);
    console.log(`Retrying in ${delay}ms...`);
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, delay));
    return resilientFetch(blogName);
  }
}

User Interface Considerations

Keep things smooth for your users:

const updateQueue = [];

function queueUpdate(post) {
  updateQueue.push(post);
  if (updateQueue.length === 1) {
    processQueue();
  }
}

function processQueue() {
  if (updateQueue.length > 0) {
    const post = updateQueue.shift();
    // Update UI with post
    setTimeout(processQueue, 500); // Process next update in 500ms
  }
}

Performance Considerations

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Don't go overboard with those API calls, and consider caching when appropriate.

Conclusion

And there you have it! A slick, efficient way to keep your Tumblr integration up-to-date without relying on webhooks. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done with style.

Remember, while polling is great for quick integrations, for larger-scale applications, you might want to consider server-side polling with push notifications to your clients. But hey, that's a story for another day!

Additional Resources

Now go forth and poll responsibly! Happy coding!