The Plugin Builder in viaSocket lets you create custom connectors (plugins) that integrate any external API or service into your workflows—without writing backend logic.

Why Use It?

• Build private or public plugins

• Add your app to the viaSocket ecosystem

• Enable Triggers and Actions powered by your APIs

• Configure OAuth, Basic Auth, or No Auth easily

• Use AI Fields or Dynamic Inputs for smarter plugins

Whether you're a developer, product owner, or maker—Plugin Builder helps you turn any API into an automation-ready tool.

What You Can Build

• CRM integrations, messaging connectors, payment automation

• Real-time or scheduled triggers

• Multi-step action chains

• Public plugins for others to use

• AI-powered decision nodes inside plugins

FAQs

Q: Do I need to code?
→ No. Just know your API—setup is visual and config-based.

Q: Can I use dynamic fields?
→ Yes. Pull options from APIs dynamically or use static input.

Q: Does it support OAuth?
→ Fully. Includes token refresh and grant types.

Q: Can I publish my plugin?
→ Yes. Submit for review to appear in the marketplace.

1. Follow these structured steps to build, configure, and publish your plugin inside viaSocket.

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   Visibility Configuration

   Define how your plugin appears in the viaSocket ecosystem.

   • App Name – The display name of your plugin

   • App Description – A short summary of what your plugin does

   • Domain – e.g. yourapp.com

   • Audience – Private, Team, or Public

   • Category – App category (e.g. CRM, Messaging)

   • Icon URL – Icon for branding

   • Tags/Keywords – Help users find your plugin

   • App’s Primary Color – Branding theme

   • Whitelist URL – Allowed redirect domains for auth

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   Authentication

   Let users securely connect their accounts to your plugin. Choose an authentication method based on your API.

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   (a) Basic Auth

   Use this when APIs require an API key or simple username/password.

   • Configure your Fields

   • Configure Test (ME) API

   • Add Connection Label

   • Set Request Parameters

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   (b) OAuth 2.0

   Best for secure, standards-based access. Supports multiple grant types:

   • Authorization Code

   • Configure your Fields

   • Copy OAuth Redirect URL

   • Enter App Credentials

   • Setup Authorization, Access Token, Refresh & Revoke Token APIs

   • Configure Test (ME) API

   • Add Connection Label

   • Add Unique Authentication Identifier

   • Set Request Parameters

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   • Implicit Auth

   Used in public apps where refresh tokens are not supported.

   • Same steps as above, excluding Refresh Token

   • Simplified for browser-based apps

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   • Client Credentials

   Used for server-to-server access.

   • Configure Token APIs

   • No user login needed

   • Add credentials, label, and identifier

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   • Password Credentials

   Used for direct user login via username/password.

   • Setup Access & Refresh Token APIs

   • Add credentials, label, identifier

   • Secure for internal/private usage

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   3️⃣ Triggers

   Triggers define when a workflow starts from your plugin.

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   ⚡ Instant Trigger

   Used when your app sends data instantly via webhook.

   • Input Builder

   • API Configuration:

     • Subscribe

     • Sample Data (Perform List)

     • Perform

     • Unsubscribe

     • Transfer Data

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

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   ⏱️ Scheduled Trigger

   Used to fetch data at intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes).

   • Input Builder

   • API Configuration:

     • Perform

     • Sample Data

     • Transfer Data

   For Detailed Steps,

   Click here

Visibility Configuration in viaSocket defines how your plugin (or “plug”) appears to users and how it’s accessed. It ensures your app is properly identified, categorized, and discoverable within the viaSocket ecosystem. A well-configured visibility setup improves both usability and reach. This guide walks you through setting it up effectively.

Choose how users will securely connect your plugin to external services.

No Auth

When to use: APIs that require no login or for public data.
Security level: Low.
Recommended for: Non-sensitive, open APIs.

Basic Auth

What it is:
Basic Authentication is a simple method where the client sends a username/password or an API key along with each API request. These credentials are combined into a single string, then Base64-encoded before being sent in the request header.

What it will do:
When a user connects via Basic Auth, viaSocket will securely store their provided credentials and attach them to every request made to your API. This ensures the API recognizes and authorizes the user or application making the call.

Key points:

• Works well for internal services, quick testing, or APIs with simple authentication needs.

• Not encrypted by itself — credentials are only Base64-encoded. Always use HTTPS to protect them in transit.

• Less secure than OAuth 2.0 for production use, but faster to implement.

• Step-by-step configuration will be covered in another guide

  .

OAuth 2.0

What it is:
OAuth 2.0 is an industry-standard, secure authorization protocol that allows users to connect your plugin to their accounts without sharing their credentials directly. Instead of storing a username/password, the user grants permission via a secure consent screen, and your system receives an access token for making API calls.

What it will do:
When a user connects via OAuth 2.0, viaSocket will handle:

• Redirecting the user to the provider’s consent screen.

• Receiving an authorization code or access token from the provider.

• Securely storing tokens.

• Automatically refreshing tokens when they expire (if refresh tokens are provided).

Why it’s recommended:

• High security — credentials aren’t exposed to your app.

• Granular permissions — tokens can be scoped to specific actions/data.

• Automatic token refresh — avoids manual re-authentication.

Common Grant Types in OAuth 2.0:

Each grant includes: Fields setup, redirect/auth endpoints, token/refresh/revoke API, Test (ME) API, Auth Identifier, Connection Label, and Request Params.

Common Authentication FAQs

Q: When should I avoid Basic Auth?
→ Use Basic only for internal or secure environments. Prefer OAuth when possible.

Q: My Auth fails—what now?
→ Check correct redirect URI, grant type, and ensure tokens refresh correctly. Expose errors clearly in Test API logs.

Q: Are tokens encrypted?
→ viaSocket stores encrypted tokens securely; tokens refresh automatically when configured.

What is a Trigger?

A trigger is the starting point of a workflow. It listens for a specific event—like a new form submission, a CRM update, or a scheduled interval—and automatically kicks off a series of actions.

Think of it as the “when” in your automation:
“When this happens → do that.”

Use Cases

• When a new lead is added in your CRM

• When a payment is received via your payment gateway

• Every 5 minutes, check for new rows in a Google Sheet

• When a webhook is called by your app

Types of Triggers

viaSocket supports two types of triggers:

Instant Trigger (Webhook-based)

Listens for real-time events from external apps via a webhook.

How it works:

• You subscribe to an event using an API

• viaSocket receives the event when it occurs

• Your workflow runs instantly

For Detailed Steps,

Click here

Scheduled Trigger (Polling-based)

Checks for new data from your API at regular intervals.

How it works:

• You define the polling frequency (e.g. every 5 mins)

• viaSocket fetches new data via API

• If new data is found, the workflow begins

For Detailed Steps,

Click here

Trigger Logic Behind the Scenes

• You configure input fields and test APIs

• Output is used to pass data to the next step

• Triggers can also use headers, tokens, or context variables (e.g., context.authData)

Testing Your Trigger

viaSocket allows you to:

• Preview sample data from your API

• Simulate the trigger with test responses

• Monitor logs and troubleshoot in real time

Once authentication is configured, your next step is to create an Action—the task your plugin performs when triggered in a workflow. Actions are responsible for making API calls, sending data, or updating records in the external app.

What is an Action?

An Action defines what your plugin will do in a workflow.

Think of it as:
“When this trigger fires → perform this action.”

For example:

• Send a message via an API

• Create a contact in a CRM

• Update a record in a database

What You’ll Set Up

Here’s what goes into creating a well-functioning action:

• Scopes – (Optional) Define what level of access this action requires

• Input Fields – Let users customize inputs like email, name, message, etc.

• Action JSON – A structured config for the request: method, headers, body

• Perform API – The actual API endpoint that carries out the action

• Output Sample – For mapping results to the next step

Example Scenario

Let’s say you’re building a “Send WhatsApp Message” action:

• Input Fields: recipient number, message text

• Perform API: POST https://api.twilio.com/messages

• Action JSON: Includes headers, body template, auth token

• Output Sample: response with messageId, status, etc.

Best Practices

• Use context.inputData.fieldKey to dynamically pass user input

• Include headers, params, and body in JSON as needed

• Log or return test responses for easier debugging

• Keep action names and descriptions clear and user-friendly

Create Action Demo

Click through a step-by-step, interactive demo walkthrough of Viasocket, powered by Supademo.

https://app.supademo.com/embed/cm66c44pj02ce1xdhl0c5bjyj?embed_v=2

Input Fields are UI elements that let users provide data when using your plugin or action in viaSocket. These fields appear in the workflow builder and capture values like:

• ✏️ Text (e.g., name, email)

• 🔢 Numbers (e.g., quantity, amount)

• 📅 Dates (e.g., deadline, birthdate)

• ✅ Options (e.g., dropdowns, checkboxes)

Each field is tailored to a specific data type, ensuring your plugin receives and processes the right kind of information.

Why They Matter

Input fields make your plugins dynamic and customizable.
For example, a “Send Email” action might include:

• To: email address

• Subject: text input

• Message: long text box

These fields allow users to configure the plugin per use case—without editing code.

Behind the Scenes

When you create a plugin or action, you define these input fields using JSON. Each field has:

• A key (used in your code, like context.inputData.email)

• A type (e.g., string, number, date, select)

• A label (visible to the user)

• Optional rules: required, placeholder, default value, etc.

We are excited to invite you to integrate and test your app on viaSocket, a powerful workflow automation tool. 

Steps to Get Started:

1. Sign Up: Create an account on viaSocket.

2. Promo Code: Use the promo code provided by us to access premium features.

3. Test Your Integration:

• When - Trigger: Test how your app initiates workflows.

• Do - Action: Test how your app responds within workflows.

For instance, if your app is an email marketing tool, you might test triggers like “New Subscriber” and actions like “Send Welcome Email.”

Detailed Testing Checklist

Testing Triggers

• Search Your App: Look for your app on our “App Integrations” page. Verify that your app’s name and logo are correct.

• Select Trigger: Choose the trigger you want to test first.

• Authentication: Ensure that all triggers have the correct type of authentication.

• Description: Check the description of each trigger to ensure accuracy.

• Fields Verification: Verify all the fields in each trigger.

• API Response: Check the APIs' responses in the response block.

• Testing Multiple Triggers: You can test all your triggers from the same flow by clicking on “Change” beside the trigger name in the slider. Once authenticated, you can continue with the same authentication.

• Further Testing: Use any of our in-built tools or your own app’s actions to test further.

Testing Actions

• Create a Flow: Start with a Webhook or Cron as the trigger. You can also use your own app's triggers.

• Select Action: Choose the action you want to test first.

• Authentication: Ensure that all actions have the correct type of authentication.

• Description: Check the description of each action to ensure accuracy.

• Fields Verification: Verify all the fields in each action.

• API Response: Check the APIs' responses in the response block.

• Testing Multiple Actions: Continue adding all the actions of your app in the same flow. Once authenticated, you can continue with the same authentication.

Providing Feedback and Customization

After you’ve tested your integration, you might have suggestions for improvements or additional Triggers and Actions you want to implement.

Please reach out to us at

[email protected]

Featuring Your App

We’re committed to showcasing our integrations prominently. Once your integration is verified, we will feature your app on our website at viaSocket Integrations. 

We will also create a dedicated page for your app at viaSocket/integrations/[your_app].

For example,

https://viasocket.com/integrations/emailoctopus

Highlighting Popular Use Cases

We know that showcasing real-world applications of your integration is vital. On your app's dedicated page, we will feature popular use cases. We invite you to share with us the combinations and use cases you want highlighted. You can email these details to us, and we will ensure they are prominently displayed.

Promotion and Collaboration

Our promotional efforts extend beyond our website. We actively post about new integrations and popular use cases on social media and include them in our email newsletters. If you have specific use cases you want us to promote, let us know, and we will include them in our communications. Additionally, we can provide you with images and content to share with your own audience.

Final Steps

Once you have completed the testing and verification, we will publish your app on our tool and website.

Thank you for partnering with us. We look forward to seeing the innovative ways in which your app can integrate with viaSocket.

For any queries, feel free to contact us at

[email protected]

Let's make automation smarter together! 🚀

If you want to make an app for viaSocket or you want to call its API then you may need its authentication.

Contact us at

[email protected]

If you want to build your custom applications where you want to implement viaSocket API. Use the link:

Auth token

https://techdoc.viasocket.com/

To access oAuth credentials go to Developer Platform> OAuth Connections.