Bolt.new AI and AliExpress API integration: Step-by-Step Guide 2025

 

Setting Up Dependencies and Creating a New File

 

• Create a new file in your Bolt.new AI project and name it aliexpressService.ts. This file will contain the code needed to communicate with the AliExpress API.
• Since Bolt.new AI doesn’t have a terminal, add your dependencies by modifying your project's package.json file manually. Insert the following into the dependencies section to install Axios for making HTTP requests:

  
  {
    "dependencies": {
      "axios": "^0.27.2"
      // Ensure to add any other dependencies you might require
    }
  }
      

 

Writing the AliExpress API Integration Code

 

• Open the newly created aliexpressService.ts file.
• Copy and paste the following TypeScript code snippet into the file. This code initializes Axios to send requests to the AliExpress API, and it features a function that fetches products based on a search query. Replace YOURALIEXPRESSENDPOINT with the endpoint provided by AliExpress, if required.

  
  import axios from "axios";
  
  // Define the type for product data (customize based on AliExpress response)
  export interface Product {
    id: string;
    title: string;
    price: number;
    // Add additional fields from the response as needed
  }
  // Function to fetch products from AliExpress API using a search query
  export async function fetchProducts(query: string): Promise<Product[]> {
    try {
      // Replace the URL with the appropriate AliExpress API endpoint
      const apiUrl = "https://api.aliexpress.com/YOURALIEXPRESSENDPOINT";
  // The API key should be saved in an environment variable named ALIEXPRESSAPIKEY
  const apiKey = process.env.ALIEXPRESSAPIKEY;
  
  // If necessary, adjust parameters and headers as per AliExpress API requirements
  const response = await axios.get(apiUrl, {
    params: { search: query },
    headers: { "Authorization": Bearer ${apiKey} }
  });
  
  // Assuming that the API returns an array of product objects in response.data.products
  return response.data.products;
  
    } catch (error) {
      console.error("Error fetching products from AliExpress API:", error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
      

  
  


• Ensure you add your AliExpress API key in your environment. If Bolt.new AI supports environment variables via a configuration UI, set ALIEXPRESSAPIKEY to your actual API key there.

 

Integrating the AliExpress Service into Your Main Application Code

 

• Identify the file in your Bolt.new project where you handle API calls or the main business logic (for example, a file named index.ts or similar).
• Import the fetchProducts function from the aliexpressService.ts file into this main file. Add the following import statement at the top of your file:

  
  import { fetchProducts } from "./aliexpressService";
      

• Wherever you need to call the AliExpress API (for instance, in response to a user search), use the fetchProducts function. For example:

  
  async function handleSearch(query: string) {
    try {
      const products = await fetchProducts(query);
      console.log("Fetched products:", products);
      // Further process or display the products as needed
    } catch (error) {
      console.error("Search failed:", error);
    }
  }
      

 

Handling Environment Variables

 

• Since you cannot run terminal commands, ensure any environment variables, such as ALIEXPRESSAPIKEY, are defined in your project's settings through the Bolt.new AI environment configuration panel (or an equivalent configuration file if provided).
• Confirm that these variables are available at runtime by using process.env.VARIABLE_NAME in your TypeScript code.

 

Testing Your Integration

 

• After you insert the code snippets and configure your API key, trigger the function (like handleSearch) from your UI or as part of an event in Bolt.new AI.
• Verify that products are fetched from the AliExpress API and logged to the console, or displayed as per your project requirements.
• Check for errors in the console and ensure the API calls are properly authenticated with your key.