TidyCal

Brief Overview of TidyCal API

The TidyCal API is a RESTful service designed to give developers programmatic access to the TidyCal scheduling platform. Its primary purpose is to allow for the creation of custom integrations and the automation of booking-related workflows. The API solves the problem of needing to manually manage scheduling data by exposing key resources like bookings, contacts, and teams through a series of well-defined endpoints. Authentication is handled using conventional methods, including Personal Access Tokens for simpler scripts and the OAuth 2.0 protocol for more complex third-party applications that require user authorization. By providing direct access to scheduling data, the TidyCal API enables developers to build custom solutions on top of the core TidyCal infrastructure, from custom booking forms to advanced data synchronization with other business systems.

TidyCal API Key Features for Content Creators

The TidyCal API provides a comprehensive set of endpoints for developers to build custom scheduling solutions. These features allow for deep integration with existing websites, applications, and workflows.

• Comprehensive Booking Management: Developers can programmatically list, retrieve, and cancel bookings. The API allows filtering bookings by date ranges and cancellation status, which is useful for building custom dashboards or reporting tools.
• Dynamic Booking Type Creation: The API supports the creation of new booking types. This allows an application to dynamically generate new event types with specific parameters like title, duration, URL slug, padding time, and privacy settings.
• Real-time Timeslot Availability: A dedicated endpoint allows developers to fetch a list of available timeslots for a specific booking type within a given date range. This is essential for creating custom booking interfaces that accurately reflect real-time availability.
• Programmatic Booking Creation: The API enables the creation of new bookings directly for a specific booking type. This allows for the integration of the booking process into other applications, where a booking can be created automatically based on user actions.
• Full Team Management: For users with teams, the API provides extensive management capabilities. It allows for listing teams, retrieving team details, listing team members, and viewing team-specific bookings and booking types.
• User Management for Teams: Developers can build tools to add and remove users from a team via the API. Adding a user sends an invitation email, and roles such as 'admin' or 'user' can be assigned during the process.
• Contact Management: The API includes endpoints to list and create new contacts. This functionality can be used to synchronize contact information between TidyCal and other platforms like a CRM.
• Flexible Authentication: The TidyCal API supports two authentication methods. Personal Access Tokens are available for straightforward server-to-server integrations, while the OAuth 2.0 authorization_code grant type is provided for third-party applications that need to make API requests on behalf of other TidyCal users.
• Account Information Retrieval: A simple endpoint is available to get the account details of the authenticated user, which can be used to personalize the user experience within a custom integration.

TidyCal API Target Users & Use Cases

The TidyCal API is designed specifically for developers, technical users, and businesses that want to extend the functionality of their TidyCal account. It requires a working knowledge of REST APIs, HTTP requests, and authentication protocols.

• Primary Users: Web developers, software engineers, and system integrators.
• Experience Level: Intermediate to advanced technical proficiency is necessary to effectively use the API and its authentication flows.
• Team Size: The API is suitable for both solo developers building personal projects and development teams creating integrations for larger organizations, especially with its robust team management endpoints.

Specific Use Cases:

• Integrating a booking calendar directly into a custom-built website or web application.
• Automating the creation of TidyCal contacts from a separate lead generation form or CRM.
• Building a custom reporting dashboard to analyze booking trends, cancellations, and team performance.
• Creating a mobile application that allows users to manage their TidyCal bookings on the go.
• Syncing team members between TidyCal and an internal company directory.
• Developing a workflow where a paid product purchase in an e-commerce store automatically creates a booking for a consultation.
• Creating custom booking types programmatically based on new services or events offered by a business.

How to Get Started with TidyCal API

Getting started with the TidyCal API involves a straightforward authentication process. Developers can choose between two methods based on their needs.

1. Generate a Personal Access Token: For direct integrations or personal scripts, navigate to the OAuth settings page within your TidyCal account and create a new Personal Access Token.
2. Authenticate API Requests: Include the generated token in your API calls by passing it in the Authorization header with the format: Authorization: Bearer {TOKEN}.
3. Create an OAuth 2.0 Client (for third-party apps): If building an application for other TidyCal users, create an OAuth 2.0 client from the same settings page. Use the provided Authorization URL and Access Token URL to implement the standard authorization_code grant flow, allowing users to grant your application access to their TidyCal data.

Frequently Asked Questions About TidyCal API

What is the TidyCal API? The TidyCal API is a REST API that provides programmatic access to TidyCal data. It allows developers to manage resources such as bookings, booking types, contacts, and teams to build custom integrations.

How do you authenticate with the TidyCal API? Authentication can be done in two ways: using a Personal Access Token for direct server-to-server communication or through the OAuth 2.0 protocol for third-party applications that require users to grant access to their accounts.

Can I create bookings through the API? Yes, the API provides an endpoint to create a new booking for a specific booking type. You must provide details such as the start time, name, email, and timezone of the person making the booking.

Does the API support team management? Yes, the API includes a full suite of endpoints for managing teams. You can list teams, get details for a specific team, list team members, add new users, and remove existing users.

Is it possible to check for available meeting times? Yes, there is a dedicated endpoint to list all available timeslots for any given booking type. You must specify a start and end date to retrieve the available times within that period.

Bottom Line: Should Content Creators Choose TidyCal API?

The TidyCal API is a valuable tool for developers and technically-inclined creators who need to integrate scheduling functionality beyond the standard TidyCal interface. It is not a tool for the average non-technical user but rather a powerful backend service for building custom applications.

The main advantage of the API is its comprehensive coverage of core TidyCal features, including detailed management of bookings, booking types, and teams. The availability of both simple token-based authentication and a full OAuth 2.0 implementation provides flexibility for projects of varying complexity. This allows for the creation of deeply integrated solutions, from custom booking forms on a website to complex synchronization with enterprise software.

For developers looking to leverage TidyCal's scheduling engine within their own products or workflows, the TidyCal API provides the necessary endpoints and structure to do so effectively. It successfully extends the platform's utility from a standalone tool to an integrable component of a larger technology stack.