DIY Developer Guide: Building Custom Integrations for ShipRush
Learn how to build custom integrations with ShipRush for multi-carrier shipping automation, label generation, and shipment tracking.
Overview
ShipRush is a multi-carrier shipping platform that automates label generation, rate shopping, and shipment tracking. This guide covers building custom integrations for eCommerce and logistics workflows.
Prerequisites
- ShipRush account with API access
- Familiarity with RESTful APIs and XML/JSON data structures
- Tools: Postman, ShipRush API Documentation
Step 1: Authentication
ShipRush uses API Key authentication. Obtain your API key from the ShipRush admin panel and include it in request headers.
Step 2: Endpoint Discovery and Data Mapping
Common API Resources: Shipments, Labels, Carriers, Tracking, Rate Shopping.
Map order data from your eCommerce platform to ShipRush shipment objects.
Step 3: Building Integration Flows
- Inbound (to ShipRush): Create shipments, generate labels, request rate quotes
- Outbound (from ShipRush): Retrieve tracking updates, delivery confirmations, label documents
Step 4: Error Handling and Rate Limiting
Handle carrier-specific errors and address validation failures. Implement retry logic for transient API errors.
Step 5: Security Best Practices
- Store API keys in environment variables
- Use HTTPS for all communications
- Log all shipping transactions for audit
- Rotate credentials periodically
Step 6: Testing and Validation
- Test label generation across multiple carriers
- Validate rate shopping accuracy
- Verify tracking webhook delivery
Step 7: Deployment and Monitoring
- Monitor label generation success rates
- Alert on carrier communication failures
- Track shipping cost optimization metrics
When to Use a Managed Platform
For businesses requiring unified multi-carrier shipping with ERP integration, a managed platform like APIWORX eliminates the complexity of maintaining individual carrier integrations.
