Query Strava Data as a MySQL Database in Node.js

Jerod Johnson
Jerod Johnson
Director, Technology Evangelism
Execute MySQL queries against Strava data from Node.js.

You can use the SQL Gateway from the ODBC Driver for Strava to query Strava data through a MySQL interface. Follow the procedure below to start the MySQL remoting service of the SQL Gateway and start querying using Node.js.

Connect to Strava Data

If you have not already done so, provide values for the required connection properties in the data source name (DSN). You can use the built-in Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to configure the DSN. This is also the last step of the driver installation. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for a guide to using the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure a DSN.

To authenticate to Strava, and connect to your own data or to allow other users to connect to their data, you can use the OAuth standard.

Using OAuth Authentication

You must create a custom OAuth application to connect to Strava. To create a custom OAuth application:

  1. Log into the Strava API Settings page
  2. Create a new application or select an existing application
  3. Set the "Authorization Callback Domain" to your callback URL domain (e.g. localhost)
  4. Note down the Client ID and Client Secret

After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

  • AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to manage the process to obtain the OAuthAccessToken.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the Client ID from your Strava API application.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Client Secret from your Strava API application.
  • CallbackURL: Set this to the redirect URI matching your application's callback domain.

Example connection string:

Profile=C:\profiles\Strava.apip;AuthScheme=OAuth;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;CallbackURL=http://localhost:33333;

Configure the SQL Gateway

See the SQL Gateway Overview to set up connectivity to Strava data as a virtual MySQL database. You will configure a MySQL remoting service that listens for MySQL requests from clients. The service can be configured in the SQL Gateway UI.

Creating a MySQL Remoting Service in SQL Gateway (Salesforce is shown)

Query Strava from Node.js

The following example shows how to define a connection and execute queries to Strava with the mysql module. You will need the following information:

  • Host name or address, and port: The machine and port where the MySQL remoting service is listening for MySQL connections.
  • Username and password: The username and password of a user you authorized on the Users tab of the SQL Gateway.
  • Database name: The DSN you configured for the MySQL remoting service.

Connect to Strava data and start executing queries with the code below:

var mysql      = require('mysql');
var connection = mysql.createConnection({
  host     : 'localhost',
  database : 'CData API Sys',
  port	   : '3306',
  user     : 'mysql_user',
  password : 'test'
});
connection.connect();
connection.query('SELECT * FROM Athlete', function(err, rows, fields) {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(rows);
});

connection.end();

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