How to build a public Zendesk Chat integration: Building the Auth Flow

Aug 9, 2024 • 7 minute read

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Zendesk Chat integration? Today, we're going to focus on one of the most crucial aspects of building a public integration: the authorization flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your integration secure and user-friendly!

Introduction

Zendesk Chat integration can be a game-changer for your application, allowing you to provide seamless customer support. But before we can start chatting away, we need to ensure our integration is secure and properly authorized. That's where the auth flow comes in – it's the gatekeeper that keeps user data safe while allowing your app to interact with Zendesk Chat.

Prerequisites

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

A basic understanding of the Zendesk Chat API
A Zendesk developer account
Your client ID and client secret (keep these safe!)

Got all that? Great! Let's get started.

OAuth 2.0 Flow Overview

We'll be using the OAuth 2.0 authorization code grant flow. Don't let the fancy name intimidate you – it's just a secure way for users to grant your app access to their Zendesk Chat data without sharing their credentials.

The key players in this flow are:

Client ID: Your app's unique identifier
Client Secret: Your app's password (never share this!)
Redirect URI: Where Zendesk will send the user after authorization

Setting Up the Authorization Request

First things first, we need to construct the authorization URL. Here's a quick snippet to get you started:

const authUrl = 'https://your_subdomain.zendesk.com/oauth/authorizations/new';
const params = new URLSearchParams({
  response_type: 'code',
  client_id: YOUR_CLIENT_ID,
  redirect_uri: YOUR_REDIRECT_URI,
  scope: 'chat:read chat:write'
});

const fullAuthUrl = `${authUrl}?${params.toString()}`;

Now, when your user clicks the "Connect to Zendesk" button, send them to fullAuthUrl. Easy peasy!

Handling the Callback

Once the user authorizes your app, Zendesk will redirect them back to your redirect_uri with an authorization code. Time to catch that code!

app.get('/callback', (req, res) => {
  const { code } = req.query;
  if (code) {
    // We've got the code! Now let's exchange it for an access token
    exchangeCodeForToken(code);
  } else {
    // Uh-oh, something went wrong
    handleAuthError(req.query.error);
  }
});

Exchanging the Code for Access Token

Now for the fun part – turning that code into an access token:

async function exchangeCodeForToken(code) {
  const tokenUrl = 'https://your_subdomain.zendesk.com/oauth/tokens';
  const response = await fetch(tokenUrl, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      grant_type: 'authorization_code',
      code,
      client_id: YOUR_CLIENT_ID,
      client_secret: YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET,
      redirect_uri: YOUR_REDIRECT_URI,
    }),
  });

  const { access_token, refresh_token } = await response.json();
  // Store these tokens securely!
  saveTokens(access_token, refresh_token);
}

Refreshing the Access Token

Access tokens don't last forever, so we need to be ready to refresh them:

async function refreshAccessToken(refresh_token) {
  const tokenUrl = 'https://your_subdomain.zendesk.com/oauth/tokens';
  const response = await fetch(tokenUrl, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      grant_type: 'refresh_token',
      refresh_token,
      client_id: YOUR_CLIENT_ID,
      client_secret: YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET,
    }),
  });

  const { access_token, refresh_token: new_refresh_token } = await response.json();
  // Update your stored tokens
  updateTokens(access_token, new_refresh_token);
}

Best Practices

Remember these golden rules:

Never expose your client secret
Always use HTTPS
Store tokens securely (consider encryption)
Handle errors gracefully – your users will thank you!

Testing the Auth Flow

Before you release your integration into the wild, give it a thorough test:

Set up a test Zendesk account
Try the happy path (everything works)
Test error scenarios (invalid codes, expired tokens)
Ensure your refresh flow works smoothly

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a secure authorization flow for your Zendesk Chat integration. Pat yourself on the back – you're well on your way to creating an awesome, secure integration that your users will love.

Remember, the auth flow is just the beginning. Now that you've got access, the real fun begins. Go forth and build amazing things with Zendesk Chat!

Additional Resources

Want to dive deeper? Check out these resources:

Happy coding, and may your integration be ever secure and your tokens always fresh!