APIs & Integrations
Zendesk (Helpdesk)
Overview
Pre-built tooling
Pre-built integrations
Not seeing the integration you need? Build your own independently.
Access requirements
| Pre-Requisites | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Paid dev account | ✅ Not required | Free, self-signup for a Zendesk account. |
| Paid test account | ✅ Not required | Free trial account can be used for testing. |
| Partnership | ✅ Not required | |
| App review | ✅ Not required | Only required for apps published to the Zendesk Marketplace. |
| Security audit | ✅ Not required |
Zendesk has two kinds of OAuth apps:
- Helpdesk/support apps
- CRM apps
Nango currently only supports OAuth for the Helpdesk apps. If you need CRM, reach out or contribute it :)
Setup guide
1
Create a Zendesk account
If you don’t already have one, sign up for a Zendesk account.
2
Create an OAuth client
- Log in to your Zendesk account.
- Navigate to Admin Center > Apps and Integrations > APIs > Zendesk API.
- In the OAuth Clients tab, click Add OAuth Client.
3
Configure your OAuth client
- Fill in the required information:
- Client Name: Your application’s name
- Description: Brief description of your app
- Company: Your company name
- Logo (optional): Upload a logo for your application
- Unique Identifier: A unique identifier for your app (e.g., your-app-name)
- Redirect URLs: Add
https://api.nango.dev/oauth/callback
- Click Save to create your OAuth client.
4
Obtain OAuth credentials
- After creating your OAuth client, you’ll be provided with:
- Unique Identifier (Client ID)
- Secret (Client Secret)
- Make a copy of these credentials, as they will be needed when configuring your integration in Nango. The Secret will not be shown again, so ensure you store it securely.
5
Request a global OAuth client (optional)
If your application needs to connect to multiple Zendesk instances, you should request a global OAuth client:
- Develop your app using a local OAuth client first.
- Ensure your Unique Identifier is prefixed with “zdg-” (e.g., “zdg-your-app-name”).
- Fill out all fields in the local client, even those labeled as “optional”.
- When your app is ready for multiple Zendesk accounts, follow the global OAuth client request process.
6
Next
Follow the Quickstart.
Need help getting started? Get help in the community.
Useful links
| Topic | Links |
|---|---|
| General | Website |
| Create a Zendesk account | |
| Zendesk Help Center | |
| Developer | API documentation |
| OAuth authentication guide | |
| OAuth client setup | |
| OAuth scopes | |
| Global OAuth client setup | |
| API rate limits |
Contribute useful links by editing this page
API gotchas
- Make sure to create a Zendesk OAuth app (
https://<USER-SUBDOMAIN>.zendesk.com/admin/apps-integrations/apis/zendesk-api/settings), not a Zendesk Sales CRM OAuth app. - Zendesk OAuth apps must be made “global” to connect to multiple
<USER-SUBDOMAIN>s. - The subdomain is a critical part of the OAuth flow and API calls. It’s the unique identifier in the Zendesk URL:
https://<subdomain>.zendesk.com. - Zendesk has rate limits that vary by plan.
- OAuth tokens expire after a certain period, but Nango automatically handles token refresh for you.
- When creating an OAuth client, make sure to fill out all fields, even those marked as “optional”, especially if you plan to request a global OAuth client later.
- For security reasons, Zendesk doesn’t allow developers to create their own global OAuth clients. You must request one from Zendesk.
Contribute API gotchas by editing this page
Going further
Connect to Zendesk
Guide to connect to Zendesk using Connect UI