How to Access Instagram Photos Using Instagram API in Ruby

Install Required Gems

• Start with installing the `http` and `json` gems, which help facilitate API requests and parsing JSON responses. Include them in your Gemfile or install them directly using the command line.

 

• Execute the installation command for gems if you choose direct installation:

gem install http
gem install json

Authenticate Instagram API

• To interact with Instagram, you need an access token. This token can be obtained through Instagram's OAuth system.

 

• First, obtain your Client ID and Client Secret from the Instagram Developer portal after setting up your application.

 

• Direct users to the Instagram authorization URL to get their permission to access their photos. Here's an example URL pattern:

auth_url = "https://api.instagram.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=#{CLIENT_ID}&redirect_uri=#{REDIRECT_URI}&scope=user_profile,user_media&response_type=code"

• After authorization, exchange the received authorization code for an access token using a POST request to Instagram's token endpoint:

require 'http'

response = HTTP.post("https://api.instagram.com/oauth/access_token", form: {
  client_id: CLIENT_ID,
  client_secret: CLIENT_SECRET,
  grant_type: 'authorization_code',
  redirect_uri: REDIRECT_URI,
  code: 'AUTH_CODE_RECEIVED'
})

access_token = JSON.parse(response.body.to_s)["access_token"]

Make API Requests to Fetch Photos

• Use the access token to make requests to Instagram's API. To fetch a user's photos, you'll interact with the `user_media` endpoint.

 

• Here's an example of how to make a GET request to fetch the photos:

require 'json'
require 'http'

def fetch_instagram_photos(access_token)
  response = HTTP.auth("Bearer #{access_token}")
                 .get("https://graph.instagram.com/me/media", params: { fields: 'id,caption,media_url,permalink' })
  
  JSON.parse(response.body.to_s)["data"]
end

photos = fetch_instagram_photos(access_token)
photos.each do |photo|
  puts "Caption: #{photo['caption']}"
  puts "Image URL: #{photo['media_url']}"
  puts "Permalink: #{photo['permalink']}"
end

Handling Errors

• API calls may fail for various reasons such as rate limits, expired tokens, or invalid requests. Check the HTTP status code and response body for error details.

 

• Implement a basic error handling strategy to address common issues:

def fetch_instagram_photos_with_error_handling(access_token)
  response = HTTP.auth("Bearer #{access_token}")
                 .get("https://graph.instagram.com/me/media", params: { fields: 'id,caption,media_url,permalink' })

  if response.status.success?
    JSON.parse(response.body.to_s)["data"]
  else
    puts "Error: #{response.status}"
    puts JSON.parse(response.body.to_s)["error"]["message"]
    []
  end
end

Further Customizations

• Expand your application's functionality according to your needs. You might want to save images locally, display them in a web application, or analyze engagement data.

 

• Consider implementing pagination if you need to access a large number of photos due to Instagram's pagination on user media.

 

• Remember to update your access token regularly, as Instagram tokens have an expiration time.