Step by Step Guide to Building a Workflowy API Integration in Go

Aug 16, 2024 • 6 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Go enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Workflowy API integration? You're in for a treat. We'll be building a slick integration that'll have you manipulating Workflowy lists like a pro. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

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

Go installed (I know, obvious, right?)
A Workflowy account with API access (if you don't have one, hop to it!)

Setting up the project

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

mkdir workflowy-integration
cd workflowy-integration
go mod init workflowy-integration

Now, let's grab the essentials:

go get github.com/go-resty/resty/v2
go get golang.org/x/oauth2

Authentication

Alright, time to get cozy with Workflowy. Head over to your Workflowy settings and snag your API credentials. We'll use OAuth 2.0 for this dance:

import (
    "golang.org/x/oauth2"
)

config := &oauth2.Config{
    ClientID:     "your-client-id",
    ClientSecret: "your-client-secret",
    Endpoint:     oauth2.Endpoint{
        AuthURL:  "https://workflowy.com/oauth/authorize",
        TokenURL: "https://workflowy.com/oauth/token",
    },
    RedirectURL: "your-redirect-url",
    Scopes:      []string{"read", "write"},
}

// Implement the OAuth flow here

Basic API Operations

Now we're cooking! Let's start with the bread and butter:

client := resty.New()

// Fetch the user's outline
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    Get("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/outline")

// Create a new node
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    SetBody(map[string]interface{}{
        "parentId": "parent-node-id",
        "name":     "New Node",
    }).
    Post("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/create")

// Update an existing node
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    SetBody(map[string]interface{}{
        "id":   "node-id",
        "name": "Updated Node",
    }).
    Put("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/update")

// Delete a node
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    SetBody(map[string]interface{}{
        "id": "node-id",
    }).
    Delete("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/delete")

Advanced Features

Feeling adventurous? Let's tackle some cooler stuff:

// Working with shared lists
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    Get("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/shared/list-id")

// Handling attachments (assuming Workflowy supports this)
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    SetFile("attachment", "path/to/file.pdf").
    Post("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/attach")

// Implementing search
resp, err := client.R().
    SetAuthToken("your-access-token").
    SetQueryParam("query", "search term").
    Get("https://workflowy.com/api/v1/search")

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Don't be that person who ignores errors. Let's handle them like pros:

if err != nil {
    if apiErr, ok := err.(*APIError); ok {
        fmt.Printf("API Error: %s\n", apiErr.Message)
    } else {
        fmt.Printf("Error: %v\n", err)
    }
}

And remember, play nice with rate limits:

time.Sleep(time.Second) // Simple but effective

Testing

Test, test, and test again:

func TestCreateNode(t *testing.T) {
    // Your test code here
}

func TestIntegration(t *testing.T) {
    // Your integration test here
}

Optimization and Best Practices

Want to really shine? Cache those results and use the API efficiently:

var cache = make(map[string]interface{})

func getCachedOrFetch(key string) interface{} {
    if val, ok := cache[key]; ok {
        return val
    }
    // Fetch from API and cache
}

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a Workflowy API integration that'd make any Gopher proud. Remember, this is just the beginning. There's always room for more features, better error handling, and slicker optimizations.

Resources

Want to dive deeper? Check out:

Now go forth and integrate! Your Workflowy lists won't know what hit 'em. Happy coding!