Step by Step Guide to Building a Zendesk Sell API Integration in JS

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your CRM game with Zendesk Sell? Let's dive into building a slick API integration that'll have you managing leads like a pro in no time.

Prerequisites

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

• A Zendesk Sell account (duh!)
• API credentials (we'll cover this, don't sweat it)
• Node.js and npm installed on your machine

Setting up the project

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

mkdir zendesk-sell-integration
cd zendesk-sell-integration
npm init -y
npm install axios dotenv

Authentication

Alright, time to get those API keys:

1. Log into your Zendesk Sell account
2. Head to Settings > Integrations > API
3. Generate a shiny new API token

Now, create a .env file and add your token:

ZENDESK_SELL_API_TOKEN=your_token_here

Making API requests

Let's write our first request. Create an index.js file:

require('dotenv').config();
const axios = require('axios');

const baseURL = 'https://api.getbase.com/v2';
const headers = {
  'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.ZENDESK_SELL_API_TOKEN}`,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json'
};

async function getLeads() {
  try {
    const response = await axios.get(`${baseURL}/leads`, { headers });
    console.log(response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error.response.data);
  }
}

getLeads();

Run it with node index.js and watch those leads roll in!

CRUD operations

Now let's flex those CRUD muscles:

// Create a lead
async function createLead(leadData) {
  const response = await axios.post(`${baseURL}/leads`, { data: leadData }, { headers });
  return response.data;
}

// Update a lead
async function updateLead(leadId, updateData) {
  const response = await axios.put(`${baseURL}/leads/${leadId}`, { data: updateData }, { headers });
  return response.data;
}

// Delete a lead
async function deleteLead(leadId) {
  await axios.delete(`${baseURL}/leads/${leadId}`, { headers });
}

Advanced features

Want to level up? Let's tackle pagination and filtering:

async function getLeadsWithPagination(page = 1, perPage = 25) {
  const response = await axios.get(`${baseURL}/leads`, {
    headers,
    params: { page, per_page: perPage }
  });
  return response.data;
}

async function getFilteredLeads(status = 'New') {
  const response = await axios.get(`${baseURL}/leads`, {
    headers,
    params: { 'filter[status]': status }
  });
  return response.data;
}

Error handling and best practices

Always be prepared for the unexpected:

async function safeApiCall(apiFunction) {
  try {
    return await apiFunction();
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.response && error.response.status === 429) {
      console.log('Rate limit hit. Waiting before retrying...');
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 5000));
      return safeApiCall(apiFunction);
    }
    console.error('API Error:', error.response ? error.response.data : error.message);
    throw error;
  }
}

Testing the integration

Don't forget to test! Here's a quick Jest test to get you started:

const { getLeads } = require('./index');

test('getLeads returns data', async () => {
  const data = await getLeads();
  expect(data).toBeDefined();
  expect(data.items).toBeInstanceOf(Array);
});

Deployment considerations

When deploying, remember:

• Use environment variables for sensitive info
• Implement proper error logging
• Consider using a rate limiting library to respect API limits

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build a robust Zendesk Sell API integration. Remember, the API docs are your best friend for diving deeper. Now go forth and conquer those CRM challenges!

Happy coding! 🚀