Step by Step Guide to Building a UKG Pro Recruiting API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of UKG Pro Recruiting API integration? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through the process of building a robust integration in C#, allowing you to tap into UKG's powerful recruiting features. Whether you're looking to streamline your hiring process or build a custom application, this integration will be your secret weapon.

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core SDK (latest version)
• UKG Pro Recruiting API credentials (you've got these, right?)

If you're all set, let's get this show on the road!

Setting up the project

First things first, let's create a new C# project. Fire up Visual Studio and create a new .NET Core Console Application. We'll be using this as our playground.

Now, let's grab some NuGet packages to make our lives easier:

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json
Install-Package RestSharp

These will handle our JSON serialization and HTTP requests like a champ.

Authentication

Alright, time to tackle the OAuth 2.0 flow. UKG uses this for authentication, so we need to implement it. Here's a quick snippet to get you started:

public async Task<string> GetAccessToken()
{
    var client = new RestClient("https://api.ultipro.com/oauth/token");
    var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
    request.AddParameter("grant_type", "client_credentials");
    request.AddParameter("client_id", "YOUR_CLIENT_ID");
    request.AddParameter("client_secret", "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET");

    var response = await client.ExecuteAsync(request);
    var token = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<TokenResponse>(response.Content);
    
    return token.AccessToken;
}

Remember to store and refresh your access token as needed. Trust me, your future self will thank you!

Making API requests

Let's create a base API client class to handle our requests:

public class UkgApiClient
{
    private readonly string _baseUrl = "https://api.ultipro.com";
    private readonly string _accessToken;

    public UkgApiClient(string accessToken)
    {
        _accessToken = accessToken;
    }

    public async Task<T> GetAsync<T>(string endpoint)
    {
        var client = new RestClient(_baseUrl);
        var request = new RestRequest(endpoint, Method.GET);
        request.AddHeader("Authorization", $"Bearer {_accessToken}");

        var response = await client.ExecuteAsync(request);
        return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(response.Content);
    }

    // Add other methods (POST, PUT, DELETE) as needed
}

Implementing key API endpoints

Now that we've got our client set up, let's implement some key endpoints:

public async Task<List<JobPosting>> GetJobPostings()
{
    return await _apiClient.GetAsync<List<JobPosting>>("/recruiting/v1/job-postings");
}

public async Task<Application> SubmitApplication(Application application)
{
    return await _apiClient.PostAsync<Application>("/recruiting/v1/applications", application);
}

// Add more methods for other endpoints

Error handling and logging

Don't forget to wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks and log any errors:

try
{
    var jobPostings = await GetJobPostings();
    // Process job postings
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Error fetching job postings: {ex.Message}");
    // Log the error
}

Data mapping and transformation

Create model classes that match the API responses, then map them to your domain models. Here's a quick example:

public class JobPosting
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string Title { get; set; }
    // Other properties
}

public class JobPostingDto
{
    public string JobId { get; set; }
    public string JobTitle { get; set; }
    // Other properties

    public static JobPostingDto FromApiModel(JobPosting apiModel)
    {
        return new JobPostingDto
        {
            JobId = apiModel.Id,
            JobTitle = apiModel.Title,
            // Map other properties
        };
    }
}

Implementing rate limiting and throttling

Respect those API rate limits! Implement a simple exponential backoff:

public async Task<T> ExecuteWithRetry<T>(Func<Task<T>> operation, int maxRetries = 3)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++)
    {
        try
        {
            return await operation();
        }
        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is HttpRequestException || ex is TimeoutException)
        {
            if (i == maxRetries - 1) throw;
            await Task.Delay((int)Math.Pow(2, i) * 1000);
        }
    }
    throw new Exception("Unexpected code path");
}

Testing the integration

Don't skip testing! Here's a simple unit test to get you started:

[Fact]
public async Task GetJobPostings_ReturnsJobPostings()
{
    var mockClient = new Mock<IUkgApiClient>();
    mockClient.Setup(c => c.GetAsync<List<JobPosting>>("/recruiting/v1/job-postings"))
        .ReturnsAsync(new List<JobPosting> { new JobPosting { Id = "1", Title = "Software Engineer" } });

    var service = new UkgRecruitingService(mockClient.Object);
    var result = await service.GetJobPostings();

    Assert.Single(result);
    Assert.Equal("Software Engineer", result[0].Title);
}

Best practices and optimization

• Cache API responses when appropriate to reduce API calls.
• Use asynchronous programming throughout your integration for better performance.
• Consider implementing a background job for long-running operations.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for your UKG Pro Recruiting API integration. Remember, this is just the beginning. There's a whole world of possibilities waiting for you to explore with this API.

Keep experimenting, keep building, and most importantly, keep having fun with it. Happy coding!