SendGrid API Workshop v2

These are my slides from SendGrid delivered Boston

Transcript

1. API Workshop
2. Hi, I’m Swift. swift@sendgrid.com @SwiftAlphaOne
3. What is SendGrid? • Cloud-based SMTP provider • Massively scalable • Analytics on emails you send • Robust APIS for developers to integrate
4. If you learn 1 thing... SendGrid > Email Relay
5. What APIs does SendGrid Offer? API • Subuser API • Credentials API • Event Webhook • Inbound Parse Webhook • SMTP API • Web API • Newsletter API • Reseller API APIs Overview
6. Q: Why should I care about the SendGrid APIs? A: There are a lot of reasons, but the short list is... • Reduce code complexity • Deeper analytics & tracking • Less resource consumption • Better UX APIs Overview
7. Especially developer time TIME IS VALUABLE
8. SMTP API Custom SMTP header that contains instructions on how to process your email Add extra information, filters, & manipulations: • Define multiple recipients • Text Substitutions • Categories • Unique arguments / Identifiers X-SMTPAPI: { ... }
9. SMTP API Example: Billing notification X-SMTPAPI: { "to": ["swift@sendgrid.com"], "category": "billing_notifications", "unique_args": { "user_id": "12345" } }
10. SMTP API Example: Billing notification (cont)
11. SMTP API X-SMTPAPI: { "to": ["john@bar.com","jane@baz.com"], "sub": { "-intro-": ["-greetGuy-", "-greetGirl-"], "-name-": ["John", "Jane"], }, "section": { "-greetGuy-": "Mr. -name-", "-greetGirl-": "Ms. -name-" } }
12. SMTP API -intro-, Thanks for coming to SendGrid Delivered. You rock! Sincerely, Swift
13. Customer Highlight qup.tv Queue, rate, or watch movies on Netflix instant with one click!
14. Web API Send mail or manipulate SendGrid settings via HTTP Anything (almost) you can do from the SendGrid dashboard, you can do from the Web API • Edit profile / account information • Add new Incoming Parse endpoints • Retrieve stats • Manage lists (Bounces, Blocks, Unsubscribes, etc.) • Add / Remove filters (apps)
15. Web API Web API endpoints have the following format: https://sendgrid.com/api/<MODULE>.<ACTION>.<FORMAT> Example: Send Email over HTTP curl -X POST http://sendgrid.com/api/mail.send.json \ -d “to=john@example.com” \ -d “from=hello@myapp.com” \ -d “subject=hello world email” \ -d “text=some body text” \ -d “api_user=your_sendgrid_username” \ -d “api_key=your_sendgrid_key”
16. Web API vs. SMTP API Q: Why would I use HTTP instead of SMTP? (Don’t worry, this is a really common question) A: Normally, you won’t have to. Unless... • Your ISP is blocking common SMTP ports • There is high latency between your app and SendGrid • Difficult to install / configure SMTP drivers • Simplicity for developers
17. Newsletter API Access the SendGrid newsletter app via the API You can create & manage... • Newsletter content • Recipient lists • Sender identities • Scheduled deliveries https://sendgrid.com/api/newsletter/<ACTION>.<FORMAT>
18. Webhooks Q: What are Webhooks? A: Webhooks are like inverse API calls; you tell us where the data needs to go, we send it there. WEB HOOK
19. •Processed •Dropped •Delivered •Bounced •Opened •Clicked •Spam Reported •Unsubscribed POST Your Application receives an event POST (like a form submit) Receive notifications when SendGrid events happen Event Notification Webhook
20. What does an event notification look like? { "email":"john@example.com", "timestamp": 1322000095, "unique_arg":"some argument", "category":"billing_notification", "event":"delivered" } Event Notification Webhook
21. Q: Why would I want to use the event webhook? A: Use it to enhance your existing email functionality and gain smart customer insight. Event Notification Webhook (It’s a very reactive API)
22. Lets you receive email in your application EMAIL JSON 1. User sends an email to *@yourapplication.com 2. SendGrid parses the email and attachments 3. You receive a JSON POST to your application Inbound Parse Webhook
23. 2. Point your domain’s MX records at SendGrid Type Value MX 0 mx.sendgrid.net 3. Return a 200 status code from your application 1. Configure your hostname and URL settings http://sendgrid.com/developer/reply Inbound Parse Webhook
24. { "to":["john@example.com", "foo@bar.com"], "from":"Swift <swift@sendgrid.com>", "subject":"SendGrid <3’s thoughbot", "text":"This is some text body action", "html":"Supports <em>HTML</em> as well.", "attachments": 1, // ... } Inbound Parse Webhook
25. Inbound Parse Webhook
26. Additional APIs Subuser API • Manage and control subuser accounts Reseller API • For partners who want to integrate their platform directly Multiple Credentials API • Add new API keys and users to your account
27. Demo Time! http://github.com/theycallmeswift
28. Pro Tip #1 UNOFFICIAL EVENT METRICS Delivered - Opened = Time to Read Opened - Last Click = Time Spent Reading Processed - Delivered = SendGrid Delay For example: Opened + Clicks - (Click ∩ Opened) = Unofficial Clicks
29. Pro Tip #2 EASY WEBHOOK TESTING • http://hookdebug.sendgrid.com • LocalTunnel • RequestB.in Some Tools:
30. Pro Tip #3 CLEAN YOUR LISTS Bounce Unsubscribe Spam
31. Pro Tip #4 ENABLE / DISABLE FILTERS X-SMTPAPI: { "filters": { "footer": { "settings": { "enable": 1, "text/plain": "Sent from my flip phone." } } } }
32. Pro Tip #5 SUPPORT CAN SUSPEND MAIL FLOW
33. Questions?
34. Additional Resources • Documentation: http://docs.sendgrid.com/ • Official Libraries: https://github.com/sendgrid/ • Support: http://support.sendgrid.com/
35. Swift. swift@sendgrid.com @SwiftAlphaOne