Websites receiving data from my app

Need help
1

Hi,

I am looking for a way to have someone search on there site and have data pulled from my database. Is this possible on bubble and how could i go about doing it if so. The general gist is that someone will search on their site for an address, for example via a unique code, and the address linked to that will be inputted into the specific filed/fields on the site.

Thanks

p.s.
Thanks to bubble i have been able to create things online i would never of been able to before. I would just like to say how great this website is.

1 Like
2

Should be possible via the Bubble API.

3

Thanks Nigel,

Any idea how i could even begin to go about this?

Thanks

4

Depends what the website is I guess.

The Bubble API is fairly standard REST API, so a developer should have no problem accessing it.

But that assumes the site has been built by a coder.

5

Thanks Again Nigel,

Is the bubble API something i need to activate?

What kind of workflows would i need to create to allow access from developers?

Im very new to this kind of thing and so i apologies for my nativity.

Is there any particular topic i could research to understand the bubble API better and how to use it?

Joe

6

Yes, you need to activate it in settings for GET, and tick boxes for the tables you want to access.

You will need to be on a paid plan for this.

Other than the reference guide API section, there isn’t much else, this is all fairly new.

I can walk you through using a test tool to access your data.

Getting it into another website is a whole other thing.

7

Hi Nigel,

A walk through using a test tool would be very much appreciated.

Unfortunately the idea i have revolves around the data been displayed on other peoples sites. Essentially like the postcode input system used on online checkouts in the UK ( you input the shorter postcode and it pulls the full address.)

Sorry i digress, as i say a walk through would really help.

Thanks,

Joe

8

Will have a quick look to see how that might work, and get back to you.

9

Thanks!!!

10

So, in theory it is fairly simple. Bubble offers a GET (a “read”) interface on your data, if you tick the right boxes.

That means you end up with a URL like this …

https://trest.bubbleapps.io/version-test/api/1.0/obj/product

That when you do a GET (and provide the right key) returns all the Products in my App.

This works nicely (and is useful for annoying developers who are stressing over RESTful interfaces as you can say “Yeah, got one already”).

The bit I have never been sure about is the searching aspect of this so it has been a bit of a learning exercise.

What you can do is add some constraints to the GET that works as a search.

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The tool I am using here is POSTMAN, and it is well worth using that or something similar to test out APIs before you try to implement.

There are a lot of technical details in the Reference.

And I would imagine if someone was coding a call to the API they would find this useful. It is very much from the technical standpoint and not a noddy guide.

I found this very useful.

It has taken a while to get my head round APIs and they are still (IMHO) made overly complex (hence Zapier and Blockspring). It has only through playing via POSTMAN and Zapier that I have made any progress.

So… yes, you could do a search on your Bubble Data, using the API, from somewhere else. How you code that up in whatever language the other site is written in … I have no idea, and don’t want to know :slightly_smiling:

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11

Hi Nigel,

You have been a great help. Im just a little lost as to the ‘key’ you input on the api workflows. Could you please advise where that comes from.

Im not sure if something like this could be used using javascript for website integration: https://craftyclicks.co.uk/tutorials/postcode-lookup-in-15-minutes/

Thanks,

Joe

12

Hey Joe,

The “key” is the Bubble API key. You pass it in the header. I have posted details of that before.

You don’t need it … But having an unauthenticated API isn’t a great idea.

1 Like
13

Hi Nigel,

Once again thanks for the help. I have managed to get the api data to display as you have. I used Hurl.it (this seems to have less features than POSTMAN however).

Would i be correct in thinking that API workflows are only available when you have the POST API feature activated? and they would be pretty useless with the GET API feature.

Thanks again,

Joe

14

POST is stuff coming into Bubble. So something external triggering a workflow in Bubble.

GET is accessing the Bubble data. So no workflows.

The two are seperate really. Depends on use case.

Will have a look at hurl.it.

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