How to Integrate Listings in Wordpress Using The Repliers API

Introduction

Our REST API allows for the integration of MLS (Multiple Listing Service) content into various platforms, including websites, applications, and more. This helpdesk article is specifically designed for WordPress users who have some experience in writing custom PHP server-side code and wish to utilize our API to enhance their sites with real-time MLS data.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you meet the following requirements:

An active subscription or access to our API
Basic understanding of PHP and WordPress theme or plugin development.
Access to your WordPress site’s files, either through FTP or a file manager provided by your hosting service.

Step 1: Set Up a Child Theme

To safely customize your WordPress site, it’s recommended to use a child theme. This prevents updates to the parent theme from overriding your customizations.

Create a child theme by following WordPress’s guide on child themes.
Activate the child theme from your WordPress admin panel.

Step 2: Write a Custom Plugin or Functions File

You can integrate the API directly within your theme, but a more robust and theme-independent approach is to create a custom plugin.

Creating a Custom Plugin:

Navigate to your WordPress plugin directory, usually located at wp-content/plugins.
Create a new directory for your plugin, e.g., mls-api-integration.
Inside this directory, create a PHP file, e.g., mls-api-integration.php.
Open the file and add the following basic plugin header:

<?php
/**
Plugin Name: MLS API Integration
Description: Integrates MLS API data into WordPress.
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
*/

Below the header, start scripting your API integration logic using PHP.

Using Functions.php:

Alternatively, you can add custom code directly to your child theme’s functions.php file. This method is quicker for small projects but less portable than a plugin.

Step 3: Fetch Data from the API

Using PHP’s wp_remote_get function, you can fetch data from the API. Here's a simple example to get you started:

function fetch_mls_data() {
$response = wp_remote_get('https://api.repliers.io/listings?repliers_api_key=YOUR_API_KEY');
if (is_wp_error($response)) {
return 'Error fetching data';
}
$body = wp_remote_retrieve_body($response);
return json_decode($body);
}
Add this function to your plugin or functions.php and replace 'YOUR_API_KEY' with the actual API key.

Step 4: Display the Data in WordPress

You can display the fetched data by shortcodes, widgets, or directly in theme files. Here’s a quick example of a shortcode implementation in your plugin:


function mls_shortcode() {
$data = fetch_mls_data();
if (!$data) {
return 'No data available';
}
$output = '<ul>';
foreach ($data->listings as $item) {
$output .= '<li>' . esc_html($item->mlsNumber) . '</li>';
}
$output .= '</ul>';
return $output;
}
add_shortcode('display_mls', 'mls_shortcode');

Add this code to your plugin file. You can now use the [display_mls] shortcode in your posts and pages to display MLS data.

In Closing

Integrating our MLS API into your WordPress site involves some coding, but with these steps, advanced users can successfully incorporate real-time MLS data into their sites. This guide provided a basic introduction to creating a custom plugin or using functions.php for API integration. As always, ensure you secure your API keys and test your integration thoroughly.

Updated on: 29/11/2024