AppFolio Install & Auth
Overview
Configure AppFolio Stack API authentication. AppFolio uses HTTP Basic Auth with a client ID and client secret, provided through their Stack partner program. No public npm SDK exists — use direct REST API calls.
Prerequisites
- AppFolio Stack partner account (appfolio.com/stack)
- Client ID and Client Secret from AppFolio
- Node.js 18+ or Python 3.10+
Instructions
Step 1: Obtain API Credentials
# AppFolio Stack API credentials come from the partner program
# 1. Apply at appfolio.com/stack/become-a-partner
# 2. Complete integration review
# 3. Receive client_id and client_secret
cat > .env << 'ENVFILE'
APPFOLIO_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
APPFOLIO_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret
APPFOLIO_BASE_URL=https://your-company.appfolio.com/api/v1
ENVFILE
chmod 600 .env
echo ".env" >> .gitignore
Step 2: Create API Client
// src/appfolio-client.ts
import axios, { AxiosInstance } from 'axios';
class AppFolioClient {
private api: AxiosInstance;
constructor() {
this.api = axios.create({
baseURL: process.env.APPFOLIO_BASE_URL,
auth: {
username: process.env.APPFOLIO_CLIENT_ID!,
password: process.env.APPFOLIO_CLIENT_SECRET!,
},
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
timeout: 30000,
});
}
async verifyConnection(): Promise<boolean> {
try {
const response = await this.api.get('/properties');
console.log(`Connected! Found ${response.data.length} properties`);
return true;
} catch (error: any) {
console.error(`Connection failed: ${error.response?.status} ${error.message}`);
return false;
}
}
get http(): AxiosInstance { return this.api; }
}
export { AppFolioClient };
Step 3: Verify Connection
# Quick curl test
curl -u "${APPFOLIO_CLIENT_ID}:${APPFOLIO_CLIENT_SECRET}" \
"${APPFOLIO_BASE_URL}/properties" | jq '.[0]'
API Endpoints
| Resource | Endpoint | Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Properties | /api/v1/properties | GET |
| Units | /api/v1/units | GET |
| Tenants | /api/v1/tenants | GET |
| Leases | /api/v1/leases | GET, POST |
| Bills | /api/v1/bills | GET, POST |
| Vendors | /api/v1/vendors | GET |
| Owners | /api/v1/owners | GET |
| Reports | /api/v1/reports | GET |
Output
- API credentials configured in
.env - TypeScript REST client with Basic Auth
- Verified connectivity to AppFolio API
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized | Invalid credentials | Verify client_id/secret from AppFolio |
403 Forbidden | Not a Stack partner | Complete partner application |
404 Not Found | Wrong base URL | Use your-company.appfolio.com format |
| Timeout | Network issue | Check firewall allows HTTPS to appfolio.com |
Resources
Next Steps
Proceed to appfolio-hello-world for your first property query.