DIY Developer Guide: Building Custom Integrations for ShipHero
Learn how to build custom integrations with ShipHero's GraphQL API for warehouse management, inventory tracking, and multi-warehouse fulfillment.
Overview
ShipHero is a powerful warehouse management and fulfillment platform designed for modern eCommerce businesses. It supports real-time inventory tracking, order fulfillment, and multi-warehouse operations. This guide provides a structured, scalable, and secure framework for building custom integrations with eCommerce platforms, ERP systems, CRMs, and 3PLs.
Prerequisites
- ShipHero Developer Account and API Key
- Familiarity with RESTful APIs and GraphQL, OAuth 2.0 Authentication, JSON data structures
- Tools: Postman, ShipHero API Documentation, SDKs (Python, Node.js)
Step 1: Authentication
ShipHero uses API Key or OAuth 2.0 for secure authentication. Use the API token to authorize all GraphQL queries and mutations.
Step 2: Endpoint Discovery and Data Mapping
Common API Resources: Orders, Products and Inventory, Warehouses, Shipments and Returns, Vendors and Purchase Orders.
Study the ShipHero GraphQL schema and map fields from external systems to ShipHero fields.
Step 3: Building Integration Flows
- Inbound (to ShipHero): Create orders, update inventory, manage purchase orders
- Outbound (from ShipHero): Retrieve shipment tracking, inventory levels, warehouse statuses
Step 4: Error Handling and Rate Limiting
Handle GraphQL-specific errors (partial responses, validation errors). Implement retry logic for transient failures and respect API rate limits.
Step 5: Security Best Practices
- Store API tokens in secure vaults
- Use HTTPS for all API communications
- Implement webhook signature verification
- Monitor for unauthorized access patterns
Step 6: Testing and Validation
- Test against ShipHero sandbox environments
- Validate inventory accuracy across warehouses
- Test order fulfillment workflows end-to-end
Step 7: Deployment and Monitoring
- Deploy with CI/CD pipelines
- Monitor GraphQL query performance
- Alert on fulfillment failures and inventory sync errors
When to Use a Managed Platform
For businesses running multi-warehouse fulfillment with complex routing rules and real-time inventory requirements, a managed integration platform like APIWORX provides the orchestration layer needed to scale without custom maintenance overhead.
