API best practices

Unpacks commonly used APIs and how to set them up

Efficient API integration is crucial for seamless data exchange between Bubble apps and external services. This guide outlines best practices for setting up APIs, optimizing performance, and ensuring security.

1. Structuring API Calls

• Use API Connector to configure and test API calls before implementation.

• Organize API calls into separate categories for better manageability.

• Prefer server-side actions for processing large API responses efficiently.

2. Authentication & Security

• Use API keys, OAuth, or bearer tokens securely via environment variables or privacy rules.

• Never expose sensitive credentials in front-end workflows.

• Restrict API access with rate limiting and IP whitelisting when possible.

3. Optimizing Performance

• Minimize repeated API calls by caching results in a Bubble database.

• Use backend workflows for API-heavy operations to improve speed.

• Fetch only necessary data by specifying fields in API requests.

4. Handling API Responses & Errors

• Structure responses efficiently using custom states or database storage.

• Implement error handling with fallback workflows and conditional checks.

• Log API errors for debugging and monitoring.

5. Webhooks & Real-Time Updates

• Use webhooks to receive real-time data updates instead of polling APIs.

• Design webhook workflows to handle errors and failures gracefully.

Here are some of the commonly used API integrations and how to set them up to ensure reliability, security, and high-performance.