Unofficial Notion Client for Ruby.

• Read the blog post, which outlines why I built this and some of the functionality.
• Check out the Gem!

Table of Contents

• Unofficial Notion Client for Ruby.
  • Table of Contents
  • Getting Started
    • Installation
  • Retrieving a Page
  • Retrieving a CollectionView Page
  • Retrieving a Block within the Page
    • Get a Block
    • Get a Collection View
  • Creating New Blocks
    • Create a block whose parent is the page
    • Create a block whose parent is another block
  • Creating New Collections
  • Updating Collection View Cells
  • Troubleshooting
    • No results returned when attempting to get a page
    • Retrieve a full-page Collection View
    • Linking to another page

Getting Started

Installation

to install the gem:

gem install notion

Then, place this at the top of your file:

require 'notion_api'

To get started using the gem, you'll first need to retrieve your token_v2 credentials by signing into Notion online, navigating to the developer tools, inspecting the cookies, and finding the value associated with the token_v2 key.

From here, you can instantiate the Notion Client with the following code:

>>> @client = NotionAPI::Client.new("<insert_v2_token_here>")

Retrieving a Page

A typical starting point is the get_page method, which returns a Notion Page Block. The get_page method accepts the ID (formatted or not) or the URL of the page:

1. URL → https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/TEST-PAGE-d2ce338f19e847f586bd17679f490e66
2. ID → d2ce338f19e847f586bd17679f490e66
3. Formatted ID → d2ce338f-19e8-47f5-86bd-17679f490e66

>>> @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/TEST-PAGE-d2ce338f19e847f586bd17679f490e66")
>>> @client.get_page("d2ce338f19e847f586bd17679f490e66")
>>> @client.get_page("d2ce338f-19e8-47f5-86bd-17679f490e66")

All three of these will return the same block instance:

#<NotionAPI::PageBlock id="d2ce338f-19e8-47f5-86bd-17679f490e66" title="TEST" parent_id="<omitted>">

The following attributes can be read from any block class instance:

1. id: the ID associated with the block.
2. title: the title associated with the block.
3. parent_id: the parent ID of the block.
4. type: the type of the block.

To update the title of the page:

Retrieving a CollectionView Page

This is achieved by passing the ID of the Collection View to the get_page method. Currently, the full URL of a Collection View Page is not supported (next up on the features list!). Once you retrieve the Collection View Page, all of the methods exposed to a normal Collection View instance are available (such as .rows, .row(<row_id>), and all else outlined in Updating a Collection).

Retrieving a Block within the Page

Now that you have retrieved a Notion Page, you have full access to the blocks on that page. You can retrieve a specific block or collection view, retrieve all children IDs (array of children IDs), or retrieve all children (array of children class instances).

Get a Block

To retrieve a specific block, you can use the get_block method. This method accepts the ID of the block (formatted or not), and will return the block as an instantiated class instance:

@page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/TEST-PAGE-d2ce338f19e847f586bd17679f490e66")
@page.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
#<TextBlock id="2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526" title="TEST" parent_id="d2ce338f-19e8-47f5-86bd-17679f490e66">

Any Notion Block has access to the following methods:

1. title= → change the title of a block.

>>> @block = @client.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @block.title # get the current title...
"TEST"
>>> @block.title= "New Title Here" # lets update it...
>>> @block.title
"New Title Here"

For example: 2. convert → convert a block to a different type.

>>> @block = @client.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @block.type
"text"
>>> @new_block = @block.convert(NotionAPI::CalloutBlock)
>>> @new_block.type
"callout"
>>> @new_block # new class instance returned...
#<NotionAPI::CalloutBlock:0x00007ffb75b19ea0 id="2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526" title="New Title Here" parent_id="d2ce338f-19e8-47f5-86bd-17679f490e66">

For example:

3. duplicate→ duplicate the current block.

>>> @block = @client.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @block.duplicate # block is duplicated and placed directly after the current block
>>> @block.duplicate("f13da22b-9012-4c49-ac41-6b7f97bd519e") # the duplicated block is placed after 'f13da22b-9012-4c49-ac41-6b7f97bd519e'

For example: 4. move → move a block to another location.

>>> @block = @client.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @target_block = @client.get_block("c3ce468f-11e3-48g5-87be-27679g491e66")
>>> @block.move(@target_block) # @block moved to **after** @target_block
>>> @block.move(@target_block, "before") # @block moved to **before** @target_block

For example:

Get a Collection View

To retrieve a collection, you use the get_collection method. This method is designed to work with Table collections, but the codebase is actively being updated to support others:

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/TEST-PAGE-d2ce338f19e847f586bd17679f490e66")
>>> @page.get_collection("34d03794-ecdd-e42d-bb76-7e4aa77b6503")
#<NotionAPI::CollectionView:0x00007fecd8859770 @id="34d03794-ecdd-e42d-bb76-7e4aa77b6503", @title="Car Data", @parent_id="9c50a7b3-9ad7-4f2b-aa08-b3c95f1f19e7", @collection_id="5ea0fa7c-00cd-4ee0-1915-8b5c423f8f3a", @view_id="5fdb08da-0732-49dc-d0c3-2e31fccca73a">

Any Notion Block has access to the following methods:

1. row_ids → retrieve the IDs associated with each row.

>>> @collection = @page.get_collection("34d03794-ecdd-e42d-bb76-7e4aa77b6503")
>>> @collection.row_ids
ent.rb
["785f4e24-e489-a316-50cf-b0b100c6673a", "78642d95-da23-744c-b084-46d039927bba", "96dff83c-6961-894c-39c2-c2c8bfcbfa90", "87ae8ae7-5518-fbe1-748e-eb690c707fac",..., "5a50bdd4-69c5-0708-5093-b135676e83c1", "ff9b8b89-1fed-f955-4afa-5a071198b0ee", "721fe76a-9e3c-d348-8324-994c95d77b2e"]

2. rows → retrieve each Row, returned as an array of TableRowInstance classes.

>>> @collection = @page.get_collection("34d03794-ecdd-e42d-bb76-7e4aa77b6503")
>>> @collection.rows
#<NotionAPI::CollectionViewRow:0x00007ffecca82078 @id="785f4e24-e489-a316-50cf-b0b100c6673a", @parent_id="9c50a7b3-9ad7-4f2b-aa08-b3c95f1f19e7", @collection_id="5ea0fa7c-00cd-4ee0-1915-8b5c423f8f3a", @view_id="5fdb08da-0732-49dc-d0c3-2e31fccca73a">,..., #<NotionAPI::CollectionViewRow:0x00007ffecca81998 @id="fbf44f93-52ee-0e88-262a-94982ffb3fb2", @parent_id="9c50a7b3-9ad7-4f2b-aa08-b3c95f1f19e7", @collection_id="5ea0fa7c-00cd-4ee0-1915-8b5c423f8f3a", @view_id="5fdb08da-0732-49dc-d0c3-2e31fccca73a">]

3. row("<row_id>") → retrieve a specific row.

>>> @collection = @page.get_collection("34d03794-ecdd-e42d-bb76-7e4aa77b6503")
>>> @collection.row("f1c7077f-44a9-113d-a156-90ab6880c3e2")
{"age"=>[9], "vin"=>["1C6SRFLT1MN591852"], "body"=>["4D Crew Cab"], "fuel"=>["Gasoline"], "make"=>["Ram"], "msrp"=>[64935], "year"=>[2021], "model"=>[1500], "price"=>[59688], "stock"=>["21R14"], "dealerid"=>["MP2964D"], "colour"=>["Bright White Clearcoat"], "engine"=>["HEMI 5.7L V8 Multi Displacement VVT"], "photos"=>["http://vehicle-photos-published.vauto.com/d0/c2/dd/8b-1307-4c67-8d31-5a301764b875/image-1.jpg"], "series"=>["Rebel"], "newused"=>["N"], "city_mpg"=>[""],...,"engine_cylinder_ct"=>[8], "engine_displacement"=>[5.7], "photos_last_modified_date"=>["11/13/2020 8:16:56 AM"]}

Creating New Blocks

Here's a high-level example: The block types available to the create method are:

1. DividerBlock
2. TodoBlock
3. CodeBlock
4. HeaderBlock
5. SubHeaderBlock
6. SubSubHeaderBlock
7. PageBlock
8. ToggleBlock
9. BulletedBlock
10. NumberedBlock
11. QuoteBlock
12. CalloutBlock
13. LatexBlock
14. TextBlock
15. ImageBlock
16. TableOfContentsBlock and
17. LinkBlock If you want to create a collection, utilize the create_collection method [defined below].

To create a new block, you have a few options:

Create a block whose parent is the page

If you want to create a new block whose parent ID is the page, call the create method on the PageBlock instance.

1. @page.create("<type_of_block", "title of block") → create a new block at the end of the page.

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @page.create(NotionAPI::TextBlock, "Hiya!")
#<NotionAPI::TextBlock:0x00007fecd4459770 **omitted**>

2. @page.create("<type_of_block", "title of block", "target_block_id") → create a new block after the target block.

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @page.create(NotionAPI::TextBlock, "Hiya!", "ee0a6531-44cd-439f-a68c-1bdccbebfc8a")
#<NotionAPI::TextBlock:0x00007fecd8859770 **omitted**>

3. @page.create("<type_of_block"), "title of block", "target_block_id", "before/after") → create a new block after or before the target block.

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @page.create(NotionAPI::TextBlock, "Hiya!", "ee0a6531-44cd-439f-a68c-1bdccbebfc8a", "before")
#<NotionAPI::TextBlock:0x00007fecd8859880 **omitted**>

4. @page.create(<type_of_block>, "title of block", options: { emoji: "chosen emoji" }) → create a new block with a chosen emoji for blocks with emojis (PageBlock and CalloutBlock).

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @page.create(NotionAPI::PageBlock, "Hiya!", options: { emoji: "🚀" })
#<NotionAPI::PageBlock:0x00007f80ed2abf78 **omitted**>

5. @page.create(<type_of_block>, "title of block", options: { content: "text or markdown" }) → create a new block with text or markdown content.

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @page.create(NotionAPI::PageBlock, "Hiya!", options: { content: "# Yippee Ki Yay\n\nJohn McClane" })
#<NotionAPI::PageBlock:0x00007fa77a1d0ca8 **omitted**>

Create a block whose parent is another block

If you want to create a nested block whose parent ID is another block, call the create method on that block.

1. @block.create("<type_of_block", "title of block") → create a new nested block whose parent ID is @block.id

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @block = @page.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @block.create(NotionAPI::TextBlock, "Hiya!") # create a nested text block
#<NotionAPI::TextBlock:0x00007fecd8861780 **omitted**>

2. @block.create("<type_of_block", "title of block", "target_block") → create a new nested block whose parent ID is @block.id and whose location is after the target block

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @block = @page.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @block.create(NotionAPI::TextBlock, "Hiya!" "ae3d1c60-b9d1-0ac0-0fff-16d3fc8907a2") # create a nested text block after a specific child
#<NotionAPI::TextBlock:0x00007fecd8859781 **omitted**>

3. @block.create("<type_of_block", "title of block", "target_block", "before/after") → reate a new nested block whose parent ID is @block.id and whose location is before the target block

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @block = @page.get_block("2cbbe0bf-34cd-409b-9162-64284b33e526")
>>> @block.create(NotionAPI::TextBlock, "Hiya!" "ae3d1c60-b9d1-0ac0-0fff-16d3fc8907a2", "before") # create a nested text block before a specific child
#<NotionAPI::TextBlock:0x00007fecd8859781 **omitted**>

The simplest way to describe this: the parent ID of the created block is the ID of the block the create method is invoked on. If the create method is invoked on a PageBlock, the block is a child of that page. If the create method is invoked on a block within the page, the block is a child of that block.

** NOTE: Notion only supports 'nesting' certain block types. If you try to nest a block that cannot be nested, it will fail. **

Creating New Collections

Let's say we have the following JSON data:

[
  {
    "emoji": "😀",
    "description": "grinning face",
    "category": "Smileys & Emotion",
    "aliases": ["grinning"],
    "tags": ["smile", "happy"],
    "unicode_version": "6.1",
    "ios_version": "6.0"
  },
  {
    "emoji": "😃",
    "description": "grinning face with big eyes",
    "category": "Smileys & Emotion",
    "aliases": ["smiley"],
    "tags": ["happy", "joy", "haha"],
    "unicode_version": "6.0",
    "ios_version": "6.0"
  }
]

A new table collection view containing this data is created with the following code:

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @page.create_collection("table", "title for table", JSON.parse(File.read("./path/to/emoji_json_data.json")))

Here's an example with a larger dataset:

Additionally, say you already have a Table and want to add a new row with it containing the following data:

{
    "emoji": "😉",
    "description": "winking face",
    "category": "Smileys & Emotion",
    "aliases": ["wink"],
    "tags": ["flirt"],
    "unicode_version": "6.0",
    "ios_version": "6.0"
}

>>> @page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Notion-API-Testing-66447bc817f044bc81ed3cf4802e9b00")
>>> @collection = @page.get_collection("f1664a99-165b-49cc-811c-84f37655908a")
>>> @collection.add_row(JSON.parse(File.read("path/to/new_emoji_row.json")))

The first argument passed to create_collection determines which type of collection view to create. In the above example, a "table" is created, but other supported options are:

1. list
2. board
3. calendar
4. timeline
5. gallery

Updating Collection View Cells

When you retrieve a CollectionViewRow instance with .row(<row_id>) or a list of CollectionViewRow instances with .rows, a handful of methods are created. Each row instance has access attributes that represent the properties in the Notion Collection View. So, let's say we are working with the following Notion Collection View:

emoji	description	category	aliases	tags	unicode_version	ios_version
😉	"winking face"	"Smileys & Emotion"	"wink"	"flirt"	"6.0"	"6.0"

If you wanted to update the unicode and ios versions, you could use the following code:

>>> collection_view = @page.get_collection("1234567") # the ID of the collection block is 1234567
>>> rows = collection_view.rows
>>> row[0].unicode_version = "updated version here!"
>>> row[0].ios_version = "I was updated too!"

Now, your Collection View will look like this:

emoji	description	category	aliases	tags	unicode_version	ios_version
😉	"winking face"	"Smileys & Emotion"	"wink"	"flirt"	"updated version here!"	"I was updated too!"

You can also add new rows with the .add_row({<data!>}) method and add new properties with the .add_property("name_of_property", "type_of_property") method.

One important thing to be aware of: When adding a row with .add_row, the hash of data passed must be in the same order as it appears in your Notion Collection View.

Troubleshooting

No results returned when attempting to get a page

If an empty hash is returned when you attempt to retrieve a Notion page, you'll need to include the x-notion-active-user-header when instantiating the Notion Client. The endpoint used by this wrapper to load a page is /loadPageChunk, check out the request headers in your developer tools Network tab.

From here, you can instantiate the Notion Client with the following code:

>>> @client = NotionAPI::Client.new(
  "<insert_v2_token_here>",
  "<insert_x_notion_active_user_header_here>"
)

Retrieve a full-page Collection View

A full-page collection view must have a URL that follows the below pattern: https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/[page-id]?v=[view-id] Then, it can be retrieved with the following code:

>>> @client = NotionAPI::Client.new(
  "<insert_v2_token_here>"
)
>>> @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/[page-id]?v=[view-id]")

Linking to another page

You can create a block that links to another notion page with the following syntax:

@client = NotionAPI::Client.new(ENV["token_v2"])
@page = @client.get_page("https://www.notion.so/danmurphy/Testing-227581d35fc94fa1a5f9fda1e8478d1e")
@page.create(NotionAPI::LinkBlock, "ea93213d1f21439c870fbe91503e76fe")

This example will create a LinkBlock on the Testing page to the page with ID ea93213d1f21439c870fbe91503e76fe.