twilio REST API: strictly backend? - twilio

The JavaScript chat client SDK is missing some functionality that the REST API has, like list users. Should the 1st person chat client be using the REST API as well to supplement gaps in the client SDK or just in general? Or is it strictly for backend management?

Twilio developer evangelist here
The Chat SDK itself doesn't give all of the same access as the REST API because that would put that access directly in the hands of all users of the Chat SDK. Restricting things like listing users of the app to the REST API means that your application has greater control over those functions and can restrict access or use it only in specific circumstances.
As we've discussed in your other question, how you actually manage things in your application, whether it is by calling to the REST API or storing data in your own user database, is up to you and depends on what will work best for your application.

Related

Determining billing based on which API Key was used?

My organization is using the Twilio SDK in C# to sms and mms messages with a single long code. We have several teams in several different departments using it for various purposes and are looking to track how much of the bill belongs to each team. Each team has an API Key that they are using to authenticate their calls to send a message: TwilioClient.Init(apiKey,apiSecret,accountSid);
Is there anyway to see in the sms logs a breakdown of which API Key was used to send messages?
There is not. You can however use sub-accounts which are logical containers of resources, and then the usage API to determine usage by subaccount.

twilio how to get possible users

I retrieved an access token from my server and have connected the JavaScript SDk chat client like so. I have created a channel like so. The next step I'd like to invite a user like this. In that example they invite the user 'elmo'. Where do I get 'elmo' or how do I present the user with a selection of possible 'elmo's? The client sdk has no list users functionality.
Edit:
It looks like the REST API has a list users method. But can't find any examples of it used. Should the 1st person chat client be using the REST API as well to supplement gaps in the client SDK or should it get the identity from backend? Our team has different interpretations of the docs: twilio REST API is strictly for backend vs. twilio REST API can and should be used any where. Moved to twilio REST API: strictly backend?
Twilio developer evangelist here.
In my opinion Twilio's Chat API should not be the central source of truth of the users in your system. I don't know anything more about your application than what you've written here, but I would expect that you have a user model within your own system that you have used to generate or create an identity that is then used by the Chat API as well as how your user logs in to your system. I would then use that user model to connect users and provide their identities so that they can join chats together.

Are contacts in Skype for Business accessible via Graph API

Just in the title. If a company is using Skype for Business with their Office 365 subscription, are the contacts in skype for business the same contacts available by the Graph API?
My understanding is currently the only way to access Skype for business data from an API standpoint is through the UCWA 2. And that the graph is not reflecting any data for S4B. This is also why those are two different set of permissions when you declare apps in the AAD portal.
One of the reasons behind that is probably because when using the UCWA you need to talk to different resources and endpoint for Discovery and Grant flows before getting to the data.
Another one could be that UCWA provides streaming and some kind of notifications capabilities (status update, messages) which the graph doesn't support right now.
I really hope the S4B endpoints come to the graph at some point, things are going to be simpler.

Stripe Create User Function in Swift

I was just wondering if there was a simple function to create a customer in the Stripe API from my app in Swift? Instead of having to create a manual HTTP post request to my server, "createCustomer.php", and then retrieve the results (This is what I do right now).
I tried to search this up on Google, but I can't seem to find anything. I simply want the user to save their card details for later user, that's why I am in need of creating a customer.
Thanks in advance!
Except for payment information tokenization (which is done via Stripe's iOS or Android SDKs in mobile apps, and Checkout or Stripe.js in web apps), all API requests must be sent from a backend server.
The reason is that aside from token creation, all other API requests must be sent using your secret API key. You cannot embed or share the secret API key with your mobile app in any way, as it would then be possible for an attacker to retrieve it and use it to issue API requests on your behalf.
This is why there is no Swift function to create a customer -- the customer creation must be done from your backend, using the server-side language of your choice.

Twitter API: REST and Streaming, what's the difference?

Could anyone please summarize the differences between Twitter's REST API and its Streaming API?
And does either of them uses Push technology?
The REST API lets you query or modify a user's account. You don't need their permission to query their account, you do need it to modify their account. They provide permission through OAuth authentication.
The streaming API delivers tweets based on search terms or for specific users you request, along with info about the author, in real-time. You do not need the tweet author's permission. You must log into some Twitter account to use streaming, using either basic or OAuth authentication.
Neither uses push, but streaming is a continuous net connection, so it is real-time delivery, making it functionally similar to push.
For anybody coming to this more recently, The REST API (v1.0) has now been retired with v1.1 being the only version. This Does now require authentication for everything, including reads.
Authentication required on all endpoints
In version 1.1, we're requiring applications to authenticate all of
their requests with OAuth 1.0a or Application-only authentication. Not
only will this visibility allow us to prevent abusive behavior, but it
will also help us to further understand how categories of applications
are using the API. We'll apply that understanding to better meet the
needs of developers as we continue to evolve the platform. At this
time, all authentication requires user context, but in the coming
weeks we'll be pushing out support for a form of authentication not
requiring a user context.
Actually you can use search through the REST API as well. For example it's the only way to combine geo AND query keyword, while the Stream API can only use OR logic.
I think it's about defacto push streaming as Adam Green has said.

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