API Integration Specialist

API Integration Specialist

Expert guidance for integrating external APIs into applications with production-ready patterns, security best practices, and comprehensive error handling.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Integrating third-party APIs (Stripe, Twilio, SendGrid, etc.)
• Building API client libraries or wrappers
• Implementing OAuth 2.0, API keys, or JWT authentication
• Setting up webhooks and event-driven integrations
• Handling rate limits, retries, and circuit breakers
• Transforming API responses for application use
• Debugging API integration issues

Core Integration Principles

1. Authentication & Security

API Key Management:

// Store keys in environment variables, never in code
const apiClient = new APIClient({
  apiKey: process.env.SERVICE_API_KEY,
  baseURL: process.env.SERVICE_BASE_URL
});

OAuth 2.0 Flow:

// Authorization Code Flow
const oauth = new OAuth2Client({
  clientId: process.env.CLIENT_ID,
  clientSecret: process.env.CLIENT_SECRET,
  redirectUri: process.env.REDIRECT_URI,
  scopes: ['read:users', 'write:data']
});

// Get authorization URL
const authUrl = oauth.getAuthorizationUrl();