Getting Started with OAuth in HubSpot

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HubSpot is a thriving ecosystem, with a partner network valued at over $12.5 billion. If you’re looking to build for this ecosystem, you’ll need to learn OAuth with Hubspot. This short tutorial will guide you through the process using HubSpot’s OAuth starter for Node.js.

1. Create a Developer Account

First, you'll want to create a developer account. This gives you the access and credentials needed to start building. Once your account is set up, we can move on to creating a public app.

2. Create Your App and Add Basic Info

After setting up your account, you'll likely be redirected to create a new app. Go to the "Basic Info" tab and fill out the necessary details, like the app name. To keep things simple, I named mine "HubCards."

3. Set Up OAuth with Node.js Quickstart

HubSpot provides a Node.js quickstart to set up OAuth easily. We'll use this to create a new server and configure the backend. Start by cloning the repository in your IDE:

git clone git@github.com:HubSpot/oauth-quickstart-nodejs.git

Next, create an .env file in the root of the repository:

touch .env

Then, replace the .env content with your CLIENT_ID, CLIENT_SECRET, and required scopes:

CLIENT_ID='xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx'
CLIENT_SECRET='yyyyyyyy-yyyy-yyyy-yyyy-yyyyyyyyyyyy'
SCOPE='crm.objects.contacts.read,forms'

You can find these values in the "Auth" tab of the "Basic Info" section.

Add the redirect URL and the required scopes (contacts and forms).

4. Set Up a Developer Test Account

Since apps can't be installed on developer accounts, you'll need to create a test account to run and install the app.

5. Test your OAuth

Finally, from the root of the repository, run:

yarn install
yarn start

And that's it! The OAuth setup should be working now.

Have you set up a HubSpot OAuth app before? I'd love to hear about your experience—feel free to drop me a note!