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

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of WhatConverts API integration? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through building a robust integration in C#, helping you tap into the power of WhatConverts' lead tracking and analytics capabilities. Let's get our hands dirty and create something awesome!

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core SDK (3.1 or later)
• WhatConverts API credentials (if you don't have them, grab them from your WhatConverts dashboard)

Got all that? Great! Let's roll.

Setting up the project

First things first, let's create a new C# project. Fire up Visual Studio, create a new Console Application, and give it a cool name. Something like "WhatConvertsIntegration" should do the trick.

Now, let's beef up our project with some NuGet packages. We'll need:

dotnet add package Newtonsoft.Json
dotnet add package RestSharp

These bad boys will make our lives easier when dealing with JSON and HTTP requests.

Authentication

Alright, security first! WhatConverts uses API key authentication. Let's create a simple class to handle this:

public class WhatConvertsClient
{
    private readonly string _apiKey;
    private readonly RestClient _client;

    public WhatConvertsClient(string apiKey)
    {
        _apiKey = apiKey;
        _client = new RestClient("https://app.whatconverts.com/api/v1/");
    }

    // We'll add more methods here soon!
}

Making API requests

Now that we've got authentication sorted, let's create a method to make API requests:

private async Task<T> MakeRequest<T>(string endpoint, Method method, object body = null)
{
    var request = new RestRequest(endpoint, method);
    request.AddHeader("Authorization", $"Bearer {_apiKey}");
    
    if (body != null)
    {
        request.AddJsonBody(body);
    }

    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync<T>(request);
    
    if (!response.IsSuccessful)
    {
        throw new Exception($"API request failed: {response.ErrorMessage}");
    }

    return response.Data;
}

Implementing key API endpoints

Let's implement some key endpoints. We'll start with retrieving leads:

public async Task<List<Lead>> GetLeads(DateTime? startDate = null, DateTime? endDate = null)
{
    var endpoint = "leads";
    if (startDate.HasValue && endDate.HasValue)
    {
        endpoint += $"?start_date={startDate:yyyy-MM-dd}&end_date={endDate:yyyy-MM-dd}";
    }

    return await MakeRequest<List<Lead>>(endpoint, Method.GET);
}

Error handling and logging

Always expect the unexpected! Let's add some error handling and logging:

private static readonly ILogger _logger = LogManager.GetCurrentClassLogger();

// In your API methods:
try
{
    // API call here
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    _logger.Error(ex, "Error occurred while calling WhatConverts API");
    throw;
}

Data parsing and manipulation

WhatConverts will send us JSON data. Let's create a model to represent a lead:

public class Lead
{
    [JsonProperty("id")]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("first_name")]
    public string FirstName { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("last_name")]
    public string LastName { get; set; }

    // Add more properties as needed
}

Building a simple console application

Let's put it all together in a simple console app:

class Program
{
    static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        var client = new WhatConvertsClient("your-api-key-here");

        var leads = await client.GetLeads(DateTime.Now.AddDays(-30), DateTime.Now);

        foreach (var lead in leads)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Lead: {lead.FirstName} {lead.LastName}");
        }
    }
}

Best practices and optimization

Remember to respect rate limits and consider implementing caching for frequently accessed data. Your future self will thank you!

Testing the integration

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

[Test]
public async Task GetLeads_ReturnsLeads()
{
    var client = new WhatConvertsClient("your-test-api-key");
    var leads = await client.GetLeads();
    
    Assert.IsNotNull(leads);
    Assert.IsTrue(leads.Any());
}

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid WhatConverts API integration in C#. You're now ready to track those leads like a pro. Remember, this is just the beginning - there's so much more you can do with the WhatConverts API. Keep exploring, keep coding, and most importantly, have fun!

For more details, check out the WhatConverts API documentation. Happy coding!