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Twilio Best Practices
Twilio Best Practices

Twilio Best Practices: Learn how to build powerful real-time voice and SMS applications with Twilio

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Twilio Best Practices

Chapter 2. Exploring the REST API

In this chapter, you'll learn the following topics:

  • What the Twilio REST API is
  • How the API works from a low-level perspective
  • Working with Twilio's PHP API library
  • Making RESTful requests directly using Postman
  • How to make the most of the Calls and Messages APIs
  • Turbo-charging your Twilio applications with Subaccounts, Phone Numbers, and Usage APIs

What is the Twilio REST API?

Twilio's REST API is the way in which you'll proactively interact with your Twilio account. This contrasts with TwiML, which is used to shape the flow of individual calls and incoming SMSes.

It programmatically gives you access to all of the data and features accessible from your Twilio dashboard, ranging from logs of previous calls to records of phone numbers you've purchased and is used to trigger outbound calls and SMS messages.

RESTful APIs are centered around data. Effectively, the API models various kinds of resources that Twilio holds, such as calls, phone numbers, or messages, and lets you perform Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) operations on them.

If you're not familiar with REST APIs and how they work, IBM has a helpful primer at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/ws-restful/.

Interacting with the API

Twilio's REST APIs are accessed over HTTP, that is to say, you make an HTTP request with the appropriate method, which is either GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE, and Twilio responds with data that represents the object you've created, read, updated, or deleted.

Fortunately, Twilio make our lives easier by providing API libraries in a range of languages. These are wrappers around the raw HTTP requests that Twilio understands, letting us interact with the API in a way that fits with the language we're working in.

At the time of writing, first-party API libraries (that is, libraries built by Twilio) are available in PHP, Ruby, Java, C#, Python, Node.js, and Apex (Salesforce's proprietary language). We'll want to use these when working with Twilio in our applications for the sake of simplicity and testability.

When getting started, it can be helpful to get a feel for working with the API by building the actual HTTP requests ourselves. There are a range...

Getting started with the Twilio PHP library

When you use one of Twilio's API libraries instead of working directly with more low-level HTTP requests, you'll interact with Twilio using simpler code that abstracts away details such as forming URLs, authenticating, and catching errors.

Twilio offers libraries in most major languages, but we'll look at PHP in order to stay in sync with Chapter 1, Working with TwiML.

The principles will be similar if you're using another language, but the syntax and grammar will be different. To see Twilio in action in Ruby, Python, C#, Java, Node.js, and Apex, head to Chapter 5, Twilio in your language.

Downloading the PHP library

First, you'll need to download the library. There are two options for doing this, which are matched across most languages you might use.

Downloading the code manually

Twilio publishes the source code for its API libraries on GitHub (https://github.com). GitHub is the most popular platform for online sharing and...

Getting started with Postman

Postman is a great tool to play with APIs such as Twilio's and even to test your own. It comes in the form of a Chrome application, and lets you build, create, and save HTTP requests, keeping track of what you sent and the response you got back.

Getting started with Postman

To get started, you'll need to make sure that you have Google Chrome installed (http://chrome.google.com), and then you can download Postman from Chrome's Web Store at https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/postman-rest-client-packa/fhbjgbiflinjbdggehcddcbncdddomop?hl=en.

Once installed, you'll be able to use Postman from Chrome's Apps screen. It'll also be installed as a standalone application that will be available from your Applications folder and Spotlight on Mac OS X, or from the Start menu on Windows.

Making your first request with Postman

Now that we have Postman installed, let's set it up to make requests to Twilio. We'll go through its interface and set everything up as...

Mastering call-related APIs

Now that we know in more abstract terms how the Twilio API works and have had an introduction to the PHP library and Postman, let's try our hand at playing with the API for real, starting with the Call resource.

All of our examples will include the URL and parameters you can use with Postman, plus a code sample for the PHP library.

Making a call

To make a call, we'll need to make a POST request to https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/<your account SID>/Calls.json with the following parameters:

Parameter

Explanation

From

This refers to the phone number that will be used as the caller ID for this call (this must be one of your Twilio numbers or another one you own and have verified with Twilio).

To

This refers to the phone number you need to dial.

Url

This refers to a URL that serves TwiML, which should be used to handle this call. Either this or ApplicationSid must be specified.

ApplicationSid

This refers to the SID of an application...

What is the Twilio REST API?


Twilio's REST API is the way in which you'll proactively interact with your Twilio account. This contrasts with TwiML, which is used to shape the flow of individual calls and incoming SMSes.

It programmatically gives you access to all of the data and features accessible from your Twilio dashboard, ranging from logs of previous calls to records of phone numbers you've purchased and is used to trigger outbound calls and SMS messages.

RESTful APIs are centered around data. Effectively, the API models various kinds of resources that Twilio holds, such as calls, phone numbers, or messages, and lets you perform Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) operations on them.

If you're not familiar with REST APIs and how they work, IBM has a helpful primer at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/ws-restful/.

Interacting with the API


Twilio's REST APIs are accessed over HTTP, that is to say, you make an HTTP request with the appropriate method, which is either GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE, and Twilio responds with data that represents the object you've created, read, updated, or deleted.

Fortunately, Twilio make our lives easier by providing API libraries in a range of languages. These are wrappers around the raw HTTP requests that Twilio understands, letting us interact with the API in a way that fits with the language we're working in.

At the time of writing, first-party API libraries (that is, libraries built by Twilio) are available in PHP, Ruby, Java, C#, Python, Node.js, and Apex (Salesforce's proprietary language). We'll want to use these when working with Twilio in our applications for the sake of simplicity and testability.

When getting started, it can be helpful to get a feel for working with the API by building the actual HTTP requests ourselves. There are a range of great tools for doing...

Getting started with the Twilio PHP library


When you use one of Twilio's API libraries instead of working directly with more low-level HTTP requests, you'll interact with Twilio using simpler code that abstracts away details such as forming URLs, authenticating, and catching errors.

Twilio offers libraries in most major languages, but we'll look at PHP in order to stay in sync with Chapter 1, Working with TwiML.

The principles will be similar if you're using another language, but the syntax and grammar will be different. To see Twilio in action in Ruby, Python, C#, Java, Node.js, and Apex, head to Chapter 5, Twilio in your language.

Downloading the PHP library

First, you'll need to download the library. There are two options for doing this, which are matched across most languages you might use.

Downloading the code manually

Twilio publishes the source code for its API libraries on GitHub (https://github.com). GitHub is the most popular platform for online sharing and collaborating on code and...

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Description

If you have experience with at least one programming language and are looking to integrate Twilio into your applications, then this book is for you.

What you will learn

  • Develop applications that make and receive phone calls and messages
  • Access your call and SMS records and much more with the Twilio REST API
  • Replace physical phone hardware with calls in your browser or mobile app
  • Build powerful applications such as phone menus, call centers, and conferencing services
  • Work with Twilio in any programming language
  • Secure your application
  • Debug and test your Twilio integration thoroughly
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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Dec 23, 2014
Length: 178 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781782175896
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Table of Contents

9 Chapters
1. Working with TwiML Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Exploring the REST API Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Calling in the Browser with Twilio Client Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Twilio in the Real World Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Twilio in your language Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Securing your Twilio App Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Testing, Debugging, and Deploying Twilio Apps Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Online Resources Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.5
(4 Ratings)
5 star 50%
4 star 50%
3 star 0%
2 star 0%
1 star 0%
Jeffrey H. Jul 09, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Survival guide for Twilio users - essential reading
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Alan Apr 07, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This is a great book if you are intrigued with the powers of Twilio but don't know where to start. Since that describes me, the book was a perfect fit. Tim starts with some basic examples of SMS and telephony applications, and works into more advanced topics such as keeping your account secure and making sure that you authenticate requests properly. A great resource for the aspiring Twilio developer.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Sue May 11, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
It is useful, especially in print. I got the print version after noticing that some boxes were truncated in the Kindle version.The book may not have much more than the online documentation but I was having trouble getting 'jump started' on the online web of topics. This was helpful, but now I want more as there was not enough detail to fully satisfy me.I'm just getting to understand a fraction of the power to Twilio.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Michael O'Flaherty Dec 11, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
Decent overview of the subject matter. My only complaints are that the SMS and voice subject matter were intertwined; I would have preferred them as independent subjects/dedicated chapters. I am also a C# guy, so PHP as the primary code language not ideal. However, still useful and I would say helpful in getting me going.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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