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

Aug 1, 2024 • 5 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your support system with Zendesk's API? You're in the right place. We'll be using the zendesk_api gem to make our lives easier. Let's dive in and build something awesome!

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you've got:

A Ruby environment up and running
A Zendesk account with API credentials handy

Got those? Great! Let's move on.

Installation

First things first, let's get that zendesk_api gem installed:

gem install zendesk_api

Easy peasy, right?

Authentication

Now, let's set up our client with those API credentials:

require 'zendesk_api'

client = ZendeskAPI::Client.new do |config|
  config.url = "https://yourdomain.zendesk.com/api/v2"
  config.username = "[email protected]"
  config.token = "your_api_token"
end

Boom! We're connected and ready to roll.

Basic Operations

Fetching Tickets

Want to grab some tickets? Here's how:

tickets = client.tickets
tickets.each do |ticket|
  puts ticket.subject
end

Creating Tickets

Need to create a ticket? No sweat:

new_ticket = client.tickets.create(
  subject: "Houston, we have a problem",
  comment: { body: "It's not actually that bad" },
  priority: "urgent"
)

Updating Tickets

Time to update that ticket:

ticket = client.tickets.find(id: 123)
ticket.status = "solved"
ticket.save

Deleting Tickets

And if you need to delete a ticket (careful now):

client.tickets.destroy!(id: 123)

Advanced Usage

Dealing with lots of data? Pagination's got your back:

client.tickets.all! do |ticket|
  puts ticket.subject
end

Using Search API

Need to find something specific? Try the search API:

results = client.search(query: "status:open")

Uploading Attachments

Got files to upload? Here's how:

ticket = client.tickets.create(
  subject: "Check out this file",
  comment: { 
    body: "See attached",
    uploads: ["path/to/file.jpg"]
  }
)

Error Handling

Always be prepared! Here's how to handle common errors:

begin
  # Your API call here
rescue ZendeskAPI::Error::NetworkError => e
  puts "Network error: #{e.message}"
rescue ZendeskAPI::Error::RecordInvalid => e
  puts "Invalid record: #{e.message}"
end

Best Practices

Mind the rate limits! Zendesk has them, so be nice.
Batch your requests when possible to reduce API calls.
Use incremental exports for large datasets.

Testing

Setting up a test environment? Use VCR to record and replay HTTP interactions:

VCR.use_cassette("zendesk_tickets") do
  tickets = client.tickets
  # Your test assertions here
end

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build a robust Zendesk API integration in Ruby. Remember, the Zendesk Developer Documentation is your friend for more advanced features.

Now go forth and code! Your support team will thank you. 😉