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

Aug 16, 2024 • 6 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Workflowy API integration? You're in for a treat. We're going to walk through building a slick Ruby 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:

A Ruby environment (2.7+ recommended)
Bundler installed
Workflowy API credentials (grab these from your account settings)

Trust me, having these ready will save you headaches down the road.

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off right:

mkdir workflowy_integration
cd workflowy_integration
bundle init

Now, open up that Gemfile and add:

gem 'httparty'
gem 'dotenv'

Run bundle install and you're good to go!

Authentication

Alright, authentication time. Create a .env file in your project root:

[email protected]
WORKFLOWY_PASSWORD=your_password

Now, let's get that access token:

require 'httparty'
require 'dotenv/load'

response = HTTParty.post('https://workflowy.com/api/auth', body: {
  username: ENV['WORKFLOWY_USERNAME'],
  password: ENV['WORKFLOWY_PASSWORD']
})

access_token = response['access_token']

Boom! You're in.

Basic API Operations

Let's get our hands dirty with some CRUD operations:

Fetching the user's outline

outline = HTTParty.get('https://workflowy.com/api/outline', headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
})

Creating new nodes

new_node = HTTParty.post('https://workflowy.com/api/nodes', headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
}, body: {
  parentid: 'some_parent_id',
  content: 'My new node'
})

Updating existing nodes

HTTParty.put("https://workflowy.com/api/nodes/#{node_id}", headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
}, body: {
  content: 'Updated content'
})

Deleting nodes

HTTParty.delete("https://workflowy.com/api/nodes/#{node_id}", headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
})

Advanced Features

Want to level up? Let's tackle some advanced stuff:

Working with shared lists

shared_list = HTTParty.get("https://workflowy.com/api/shared/#{shared_id}", headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
})

Handling attachments

attachment = HTTParty.post('https://workflowy.com/api/attachments', headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
}, body: {
  nodeid: 'some_node_id',
  file: File.new('/path/to/file.jpg')
})

Implementing search functionality

search_results = HTTParty.get('https://workflowy.com/api/search', headers: {
  'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
}, query: {
  query: 'search term'
})

Error Handling and Rate Limiting

Don't let errors catch you off guard:

begin
  response = HTTParty.get('https://workflowy.com/api/outline', headers: {
    'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}"
  })
  raise "API Error: #{response.code}" unless response.success?
rescue => e
  puts "Oops! Something went wrong: #{e.message}"
end

And remember, play nice with rate limits. Implement some backoff strategy if you're hitting the API hard.

Testing the Integration

Testing is your friend. Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe WorkflowyIntegration do
  it 'fetches the user outline' do
    outline = subject.fetch_outline
    expect(outline).to be_a(Hash)
    expect(outline).to have_key('root')
  end
end

Optimization and Best Practices

Cache frequently accessed data to reduce API calls
Use batch operations when possible
Keep your access token secure (never commit it to version control!)

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a robust Workflowy API integration in Ruby. The possibilities are endless – from automating your to-do lists to building complex productivity tools. What will you create?

Resources

Now go forth and code! Remember, the best way to learn is by doing. Don't be afraid to experiment and push the boundaries of what's possible. Happy coding!