Step by Step Guide to Building a Woodpecker.co API Integration in Ruby

Aug 18, 2024 • 6 minute read

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your outreach game with Woodpecker.co? Let's dive into building a slick API integration using Ruby. We'll keep things concise and to the point, so you can get up and running in no time.

Introduction

Woodpecker.co is a powerhouse for email outreach, and their API opens up a world of automation possibilities. We're going to build an integration that'll let you manage prospects, campaigns, and pull stats like a pro.

Prerequisites

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

Ruby 2.7+
The httparty gem (we'll use this for API requests)
Your Woodpecker.co API key (grab this from your account settings)

Setting Up the Project

Let's get the ball rolling:

mkdir woodpecker_integration
cd woodpecker_integration
bundle init

Add this to your Gemfile:

gem 'httparty'

Then run:

bundle install

Authentication

First things first, let's set up our base client:

require 'httparty'

class WoodpeckerClient
  include HTTParty
  base_uri 'https://api.woodpecker.co/rest/v1'

  def initialize(api_key)
    @options = { headers: { 'X-API-KEY' => api_key } }
  end

  def get(path)
    self.class.get(path, @options)
  end

  def post(path, body)
    self.class.post(path, @options.merge(body: body))
  end
end

Implementing Core API Functionalities

Now, let's add some methods to interact with prospects and campaigns:

class WoodpeckerClient
  # ... previous code ...

  def list_prospects
    get('/prospects')
  end

  def create_prospect(data)
    post('/prospects', data)
  end

  def list_campaigns
    get('/campaigns')
  end

  def create_campaign(data)
    post('/campaigns', data)
  end

  def add_prospects_to_campaign(campaign_id, prospect_ids)
    post("/campaigns/#{campaign_id}/prospects", { prospect_ids: prospect_ids })
  end

  def campaign_stats(campaign_id)
    get("/campaigns/#{campaign_id}/stats")
  end
end

Error Handling

Let's add some basic error handling:

class WoodpeckerClient
  # ... previous code ...

  def handle_response(response)
    case response.code
    when 200..299
      response
    when 429
      raise "Rate limit exceeded. Try again in #{response.headers['Retry-After']} seconds."
    else
      raise "API error: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
    end
  end
end

Update your get and post methods to use this:

def get(path)
  handle_response(self.class.get(path, @options))
end

def post(path, body)
  handle_response(self.class.post(path, @options.merge(body: body)))
end

Testing the Integration

Here's a quick test script to make sure everything's working:

client = WoodpeckerClient.new('your-api-key-here')

# List prospects
puts client.list_prospects

# Create a prospect
new_prospect = client.create_prospect({
  email: '[email protected]',
  first_name: 'John',
  last_name: 'Doe'
})
puts new_prospect

# List campaigns
puts client.list_campaigns

# Get campaign stats
puts client.campaign_stats(123) # Replace with a real campaign ID

Best Practices

Rate Limiting: Woodpecker has rate limits, so be mindful of how often you're making requests.
Logging: Add logging to track API calls and responses for easier debugging.
Environment Variables: Store your API key in an environment variable, not in your code.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid foundation for a Woodpecker.co API integration in Ruby. From here, you can expand on this client to fit your specific needs. Maybe add some async processing for large batches of prospects, or integrate with your favorite CRM.

Remember, the API is your oyster. Don't be afraid to explore and experiment with different endpoints and features. Happy coding!

Resources

Now go forth and automate your outreach like a boss! 🚀