Advice for learning how to use httr to access API

Question

I am trying to learn how to use httr to access an SMS service's API. The package documentation is helpful, but I think I lack an understanding of some important higher level concepts. Could someone point me to a good tutorial for using httr?

In case it is helpful in directing me to the right type of resource, here is an example of a url I am trying to use from the service provider's API documentation (account is not active):

http://sms.shujaa.mobi/sendsms?username=info%40shujaa.co.ke&password=info&account=developer&source=2024&destination=254717555555&message=This%20is%20a%20test.&network=safaricom

My first inclination was to define each object and then paste together the string.

library(httr)

url <- "http://sms.shujaa.mobi/sendsms"
username <- "info%40shujaa.co.ke"                    
password <- "info&account"                   
account <- "developer"
source <- "2024"                        
destination <- "254717555555"
message <- "This%20is%20a%20test."
network <- "safaricom"

send <- paste0(url, "?", "username=", username, "&password=", password, "&account=",
           account, "&source=", source, "&destination=", destination, "&message=", message,
           "&network=", network)

POST(send)

I don't think this is the correct approach. I think I should be using some of the arguments of POST to modify the url with the necessary info, but I'm not seeing the bigger picture. I think an example or two might help me move in the right direction. The included demos don't seem to address my confusion.

Answer 1

I would start getting to grips with OAuth, and use keys, secrets, tokens etc in order to have full use of all API features that they provide...

httr is the correct package to use though...

Please have a look at my answer for another API connection

How to use OAuth at XING with R

Hope that helps...it would be more useful if you let us know what the service is so that we can better assist you...