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Wufoo API Essential Guide

Aug 11, 20246 minute read

What type of API does Wufoo provide?

Wufoo has a REST API. Here are the key points about Wufoo's API:

Type of API

Wufoo uses a REST API.

Key Features

  • RESTful architecture following REST principles
  • Supports both XML and JSON formats for input/output
  • Uses HTTP methods like GET, PUT, POST, DELETE to interact with resources
  • Resources are represented by URLs
  • Single endpoint structure (e.g. http://{subdomain}.wufoo.com/api/v3/)

API Structure

The API is organized into logical sections based on different aspects of Wufoo:

  • Forms
  • Entries
  • Reports
  • Webhooks

Authentication

  • Requires an API key for authentication
  • The API key can be found in the Form Manager under "API Information"

Documentation

Wufoo provides detailed API documentation, including:

  • Overview of the REST principles used
  • Endpoint references
  • Code samples in multiple languages
  • Guides for specific use cases like form embedding

Does the Wufoo API have webhooks?

Yes, the official Wufoo API does support webhooks. The main event you can subscribe to with Wufoo webhooks is form submissions. When someone submits a form, the webhook can automatically send that form data to other applications.

Webhooks can be added to individual forms, with up to 10 webhooks allowed per form. You can set up webhooks through the Wufoo interface or programmatically via the API. Webhooks use HTTP POST to send data, and you can include metadata about form fields and structure along with the entry data. A handshake key can be set for added security.

It's worth noting that while Wufoo supports webhooks for receiving form submission data, the API does not support updating existing entries. Any updates to data would need to be handled externally or by submitting new entries.

Webhooks are a paid feature, only available on paid Wufoo plans. The API and webhooks can be used to automate data transfers between Wufoo and other applications. When setting up integrations programmatically, you'll need to use your Wufoo API key for authentication.

Rate Limits and other limitations

Based on the search results provided, here are the key points regarding the API Rate Limits of the Wufoo API:

Rate Limit Details

The Wufoo API has a rate limit for submitting entries via the API. Specifically:

  • Entries submitted via the Wufoo v3 API are limited to 50 submissions per Wufoo User in a 5 minute sliding window [3].

  • If this limit is exceeded, the API will return an HTTP 429 response code [3].

Key Points to Consider

  1. The rate limit is designed to prevent malicious bot activity and reduce strain on Wufoo services [3].

  2. The limit applies to entry submissions specifically, not necessarily to other API operations.

  3. The limit is per Wufoo User, not per application or API key.

  4. It uses a sliding window of 5 minutes, meaning the count resets continuously rather than at fixed intervals.

Best Practices

  1. Implement proper error handling in your application to deal with potential 429 responses.

  2. Consider implementing a backoff strategy if you need to submit large numbers of entries.

  3. If you consistently need to submit more than 50 entries per 5 minutes, you may need to contact Wufoo support for alternatives or higher limits.

  4. Monitor your API usage to ensure you stay within the limits.

Additional Information

While not directly related to rate limits, it's worth noting that Wufoo also offers webhooks for automatically sending form data to other applications when someone submits a form. Webhooks don't use API requests and won't count towards your API limit [2].

It's important to note that while these rate limits are in place for the API, the search results don't mention any specific limits for other operations like retrieving data or managing forms. Always refer to the most up-to-date official Wufoo API documentation for the most accurate and comprehensive information on API usage and limits.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results, here are the key points regarding the most recent version of the Wufoo API:

  1. The current version of the Wufoo API is V3 (version 3) [2].

  2. The Wufoo API follows RESTful principles and is structured around resources represented by URLs [2].

  3. The API supports both XML and JSON formats for input and output [2].

  4. To use the API, you need your Wufoo API key, which is unique to your account [3].

  5. The API allows access to forms, entries, reports, and webhooks [1].

  6. As of the information available in the search results, the API does not support updating existing entries. This was confirmed by a user who submitted a help ticket [5].

Key points to consider:

  • The API documentation is available at https://wufoo.github.io/docs/ [1].

  • The API uses your account subdomain for requests, e.g., https://fishbowl.wufoo.com [1].

  • You can find your API key in the Form Manager under "API Information" [1].

  • The API supports various operations like retrieving form data, submitting new entries, and managing webhooks [1].

  • While the API doesn't support direct updates to entries, users have developed workarounds such as using webhooks and secondary forms to process and store modified data [5].

It's worth noting that the search results don't provide a specific date for the most recent API version release. However, the information suggests that V3 is the current version, and there have been ongoing improvements and updates to the API functionality over time.

How to get a Wufoo developer account and API Keys?

To get a developer account for Wufoo to create an API integration, here are the key steps:

1. Use existing Wufoo account

You don't need a separate "developer account" for Wufoo. You can use your existing Wufoo account to access the APIs.

2. Obtain API Key

To use most of Wufoo's APIs, you'll need an API Key. You can find this in your Wufoo account under the Code Manager section.

3. Apply for Login API access (if needed)

If you want to use Wufoo's Login API to allow users to log in with their Wufoo credentials, you need to apply for special access to this API.

4. Review API documentation

Wufoo provides extensive documentation on their REST API. Review the docs at https://help.wufoo.com/articles/en_US/kb/Wufoo-REST-API-V3/v3/ to understand how to use the various endpoints.

5. Start building your integration

With your API key and documentation in hand, you can start building your integration using Wufoo's APIs.

6. Consider using the Form Embed Kit

For simpler integrations, Wufoo offers a Form Embed Kit that allows you to easily embed Wufoo forms in your application with minimal coding.

Key points:

  • No separate developer account is needed
  • Most APIs require an API Key from your Wufoo account
  • The Login API requires special approval
  • Review the REST API documentation thoroughly
  • The Form Embed Kit is an option for simpler integrations

What can you do with the Wufoo API?

Based on the search results, here are the key data models you can interact with using the Wufoo API:

Forms

  • Retrieve form details and structure
  • Get a list of all forms in your account
  • Access form field information and IDs

Entries

  • Submit new entries to forms
  • Retrieve existing form entries
  • Filter and search entries
  • Access entry data

Reports

  • Retrieve report details
  • Access report data

Users

  • Get user account information

Webhooks

  • Add webhooks to forms
  • Delete webhooks from forms

Key points for each data model:

  • Forms:

    • Get form structure, field IDs, and other metadata
    • Useful for dynamically building forms or integrating form data
  • Entries:

    • Submit new entries via API
    • Retrieve and filter existing entry data
    • Core functionality for working with form submissions
  • Reports:

    • Access report configurations and data
    • Useful for analytics and data visualization
  • Users:

    • Basic account information
    • Limited functionality compared to other models
  • Webhooks:

    • Programmatically add/remove webhooks
    • Allows automating webhook setup for integrations

Best practices:

  • Use the API key for authentication
  • Respect rate limits, especially for entry submissions
  • Utilize filtering options when retrieving large datasets
  • Refer to field IDs rather than labels when working with form data
  • Consider using webhooks for real-time data syncing rather than frequent API polling

The Wufoo API provides comprehensive access to form data and configurations, with a focus on forms and entries as the core data models. The REST API structure and support for JSON/XML make it flexible for various integration scenarios.