Understanding the prerequisites

• Ensure you have a working Bubble application set up.
• You’ll need an Azure subscription and familiarity with Azure Functions.
• Access to Bubble's API connector plugin.

Creating an Azure Function

• Log in to the Azure portal and create a new Function App if you don’t have one already.
• Go to the Function App and click on "+ Add" to create a new function.
• Select the "HTTP Trigger" template for your function. This allows you to trigger the function via an HTTP request.
• Configure the function’s settings like name, authorization level (typically set to Anonymous for easier integration), etc.

Function Code Example (Node.js):

module.exports = async function (context, req) {
    context.log('JavaScript HTTP trigger function processed a request.');
    
    const name = req.query.name || (req.body && req.body.name);
    const responseMessage = name
        ? "Hello, " + name + ". This HTTP triggered function executed successfully."
        : "This HTTP triggered function executed successfully. Pass a name in the query string or in the request body for a personalized response.";
    
    context.res = {
        // status: 200, /* Defaults to 200 */
        body: responseMessage
    };
}

Deploying and Testing the Function

• Deploy the function using the Azure portal or Azure CLI.
• After deployment, navigate to the "Functions" tab under your Function App and select the newly created function.
• Copy the Function URL, which you will need to set up the API endpoint in Bubble.

Setting Up Bubble API Connector

• In your Bubble app, go to the Plugins tab and add the "API Connector" plugin.
• Open the API Connector plugin and click on "Add another API."
• Give your API a name, and then click "Add another call."
• For the name of the API call, choose something descriptive. Set the method to "POST" or "GET," depending on your Azure Function’s requirements.
• Paste the Function URL you copied earlier into the URL field.
• If your function requires authentication or additional headers, you can specify them under the "Headers" section.
• If your function takes parameters, you can set these up in the "Parameters" section.

Testing the Integration

• Open the API Connector and initialize the call by clicking on "Initialize call." Ensure the API call works as expected and retrieves or sends data properly.
• If the initialization is successful, save the call and you will now be able to use this API call in your Bubble workflows and data sources.
• You can now create Bubble workflows or actions that trigger the Azure Function, pass data to it, and handle the response.

Example of Using API Call in Bubble Workflow

• Go to the "Workflow" tab in Bubble and create a new workflow.
• Add an action to call the API that you set up in the API Connector.
• Map any required parameters or data inputs to the respective fields in the API call.
• Save and trigger the workflow to ensure the function executes as expected.

Troubleshooting and Optimization

• Review logs in Azure Functions to diagnose any execution issues.
• Use Bubble’s built-in debugging tools to troubleshoot workflow and data issues.
• Optimize data handling and reduce latencies by minimizing payload sizes and optimizing Azure Function performance.