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

Aug 11, 2024 • 6 minute read

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of WPForms API integration? Let's roll up our sleeves and get coding!

Introduction

WPForms is a popular WordPress plugin for creating forms, and its API opens up a world of possibilities. In this guide, we'll walk through building a robust C# integration that'll have you manipulating forms and entries like a pro.

Prerequisites

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

Visual Studio (or your favorite C# IDE)
.NET Core 3.1 or later
A WPForms API key (grab one from your WPForms account)

Setting up the project

First things first, let's create a new C# project. Fire up Visual Studio, create a new Console Application, and name it something cool like "WPFormsIntegration".

Now, let's grab the packages we need. Open up the Package Manager Console and run:

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json
Install-Package RestSharp

Configuring the API client

Time to set up our HTTP client. Create a new class called WPFormsClient:

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

    public WPFormsClient(string apiKey)
    {
        _apiKey = apiKey;
        _client = new RestClient("https://wpforms.com/wp-json/wpforms/v1/");
    }

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

Implementing core API functionalities

Retrieving forms

Let's start with fetching forms:

public async Task<List<Form>> GetFormsAsync()
{
    var request = new RestRequest("forms", Method.GET);
    request.AddHeader("X-API-Key", _apiKey);
    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync<List<Form>>(request);
    return response.Data;
}

Fetching form entries

Now for grabbing those entries:

public async Task<List<Entry>> GetEntriesAsync(int formId)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"forms/{formId}/entries", Method.GET);
    request.AddHeader("X-API-Key", _apiKey);
    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync<List<Entry>>(request);
    return response.Data;
}

Creating new entries

Let's add a new entry to a form:

public async Task<Entry> CreateEntryAsync(int formId, Dictionary<string, string> fields)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"forms/{formId}/entries", Method.POST);
    request.AddHeader("X-API-Key", _apiKey);
    request.AddJsonBody(new { fields });
    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync<Entry>(request);
    return response.Data;
}

Updating existing entries

Updating is a breeze:

public async Task<Entry> UpdateEntryAsync(int formId, int entryId, Dictionary<string, string> fields)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"forms/{formId}/entries/{entryId}", Method.PUT);
    request.AddHeader("X-API-Key", _apiKey);
    request.AddJsonBody(new { fields });
    var response = await _client.ExecuteAsync<Entry>(request);
    return response.Data;
}

Deleting entries

And finally, let's add deletion:

public async Task DeleteEntryAsync(int formId, int entryId)
{
    var request = new RestRequest($"forms/{formId}/entries/{entryId}", Method.DELETE);
    request.AddHeader("X-API-Key", _apiKey);
    await _client.ExecuteAsync(request);
}

Error handling and best practices

Don't forget to wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks:

try
{
    var forms = await client.GetFormsAsync();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Oops! Something went wrong: {ex.Message}");
}

And remember, be nice to the API. Implement rate limiting to avoid hitting those pesky request limits.

Testing the integration

Time to put our code to the test! Create some unit tests for each method, and don't forget to run some integration tests against the live API (but go easy on it, okay?).

Advanced features

Feeling adventurous? Try implementing webhooks or handling file uploads. The WPForms API has got your back!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a solid WPForms API integration in C#. The possibilities are endless - from automating form creation to building complex reporting systems. What will you create?

Resources

Now go forth and code, you magnificent developer! The world of form automation awaits!