HubSpot CMS API: How to connect it correctly

Past blog articles have looked at the topics of CMS, Hubspot websites and API. With the Hubspot CMS API, the various functionalities of the CMS can be integrated into a Hubspot integration, which offers developers a wide range of options for implementing different requirements and wishes for a CMS project.

What is the HubSpot CMS?

As a quick refresher on the topic:

The CMS is used to create websites and is specially designed for integration with various HubSpot functions, such as marketing, sales and service tools. These functions can be used via the CMS API, the application interface for connecting the CMS or content hub. This means that complex CMS project requirements can be solved efficiently using HubSpot integrations.

What exactly is the HubSpot CMS API?

The CMS API is the interface to the HubSpot CMS and its various functionalities, such as HubDB, templates, modules and blogs. If you want to get an overview, you can view the various endpoints of the API under HubSpot API documentation in the "CMS" tab.

Experienced HubSpot users know that many of these functions are also available in the HubSpot UI, e.g. through drag-and-drop website creation. The use of the API is therefore not mandatory, but offers extended functions that can be used in combination with a HubSpot integration. Due to the extensive possibilities of the CMS API, a detailed explanation of all functions would not make sense here. Therefore, a brief explanation of the connection using a specific example follows at the end of this article to provide an overview.

How do I use the CMS API?

The basis for using the API is a private or public app in HubSpot. A developer integrates the functions of the CMS API into this app as required. Such a "CMS API app" extends the functionality of HubSpot with the selected functions. Once the app has been installed in the HubSpot portal, the integrated functions are available.

What do I need to bear in mind if I want to use the CMS API?

In general, there are a few recommendations for developing with the HubSpot API that apply not only to the CMS API, but to any integration with HubSpot.

First of all, you should ensure that you have access to the HubSpot API. This is possible either via a public app, for which a developer account is required, or via a private app. It is important to ensure that the correct app scopes for the desired CMS functions are defined in the app settings.

These apps then give you an access key (access token) for the HubSpot API, which enables you to use it in your own application. It is strongly recommended to read the existing HubSpot documentation before any use. You can then decide which endpoints of the API (such as HubDB, blogs, etc.) should be used or which are relevant for the project.

The developed integration can then process data according to the defined requirements and display it on a website, for example.

As anyone who has programmed or developed an application knows, you should always build specific error handling into the application and adhere to security best practices. This ensures the integrity of the data and the security of the users.

Concrete example: HubSpot CMS API - HubDB

Without going into too much technical detail, the connection of the CMS API can be illustrated using an example.

Imagine you have an external data source that provides data in XML format. An application you have developed reads the elements of the XML file and should now write this data to a HubDB within HubSpot. From there, they are integrated into a website hosted in the CMS. Such a scenario can be easily implemented via a CMS API integration.

The documentation at HubSpot CMS API provides information on which functions the CMS API provides in relation to HubDBs. The endpoint "Updates an existing row", for example, makes it possible to write the data read from the XML file to the respective columns of the HubDB.

When creating the website, you would then select the appropriate endpoints to automatically and dynamically read the data from the HubDB and integrate it into the website. In this way, the requirement described at the beginning can be implemented efficiently.

HubSpot CMS API - Conclusion

The HubSpot CMS API offers a wide range of functions that may seem overwhelming at first glance. However, thanks to the detailed documentation and tutorials provided by HubSpot, these diverse options can be used efficiently to exploit the full potential of the HubSpot Content Hub.

If required, professional HubSpot partners such as CIXON are also available to provide support with the integration and use of the API.

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