libzapi — Python SDK for the Zendesk API

A typed, batteries-included Python client for Zendesk. Handles authentication, pagination, retries, and error mapping so you can focus on your integration.

Installation

pip install libzapi

Requires Python 3.12+.

Quick Start

Email + API token:

from libzapi import Ticketing

ticketing = Ticketing(
    base_url="https://yourcompany.zendesk.com",
    email="you@company.com",
    api_token="your_api_token",
)

OAuth:

ticketing = Ticketing(
    base_url="https://yourcompany.zendesk.com",
    oauth_token="your_oauth_token",
)

All three entry points (Ticketing, HelpCenter, CustomData) accept the same auth arguments.

Ticketing

from libzapi import Ticketing

tk = Ticketing("https://acme.zendesk.com", email="a@b.com", api_token="tok")

# List tickets — pagination is automatic
for ticket in tk.tickets.list():
    print(ticket.id, ticket.subject)

# Get a single ticket
ticket = tk.tickets.get(ticket_id=12345)

# Create a ticket
new_ticket = tk.tickets.create(
    subject="Printer on fire",
    description="The printer on floor 3 is literally on fire.",
    priority="urgent",
    tags=["hardware", "fire"],
)

# Update a ticket
tk.tickets.update(ticket_id=new_ticket.id, priority="high", tags=["resolved"])

# Create with custom fields
tk.tickets.create(
    subject="Custom field example",
    description="Body text",
    custom_fields=[{"id": 123, "value": "abc"}],
)

# Search organizations
for org in tk.organizations.search(name="Acme"):
    print(org.id, org.name)

# List groups
for group in tk.groups.list_all():
    print(group.id, group.name)

Help Center

from libzapi import HelpCenter

hc = HelpCenter("https://acme.zendesk.com", email="a@b.com", api_token="tok")

# List all articles
for article in hc.articles.list_all():
    print(article.id, article.title)

# Articles by locale
for article in hc.articles.list_all_by_locale("en-us"):
    print(article.title)

# Incremental export (unix timestamp)
for article in hc.articles.list_incremental(start_time=1700000000):
    print(article.title)

# Categories CRUD
category = hc.categories.create(
    name="Billing", locale="en-us", description="Billing articles", position=1
)
hc.categories.update(category.id, name="Billing & Payments", description="Updated", position=1)
hc.categories.delete(category.id)

# Sections
section = hc.sections.create(
    category_id=category.id, name="Invoices", locale="en-us", description="Invoice help", position=1
)
hc.sections.delete(section.id)

Custom Objects

from libzapi import CustomData

cd = CustomData("https://acme.zendesk.com", email="a@b.com", api_token="tok")

# List custom objects
for obj in cd.custom_objects.list_all():
    print(obj.key, obj.title)

# Get a specific object
obj = cd.custom_objects.get("my_object")

# List fields for an object
for field in cd.custom_object_fields.list_all("my_object"):
    print(field.key, field.type)

# Query records with sort and filter
for record in cd.custom_object_records.list_all(
    custom_object_key="my_object",
    sort_type="updated_at",
    sort_order="desc",
    page_size=50,
):
    print(record.id, record.name)

Error Handling

libzapi raises typed exceptions for Zendesk API errors:

from libzapi.domain.errors import ZapiError, NotFound, Unauthorized, RateLimited, UnprocessableEntity

try:
    ticket = tk.tickets.get(ticket_id=99999999)
except NotFound:
    print("Ticket does not exist")
except Unauthorized:
    print("Check your credentials")
except RateLimited:
    print("Too many requests — SDK retries automatically, but limit was exceeded")
except UnprocessableEntity as e:
    print("Validation error:", e)
except ZapiError as e:
    print("Unexpected API error:", e)

Pagination

Pagination is transparent. Methods that return collections yield items lazily — the SDK fetches the next page automatically when needed. Both cursor-based and offset pagination are supported depending on the Zendesk endpoint.

# Just iterate — no page management needed
for ticket in tk.tickets.list():
    process(ticket)

Retries

The HTTP client automatically retries on 429 (rate limited) and 5xx errors with exponential backoff (up to 5 retries). The Retry-After header is respected.

Available Services

Ticketing

Help Center

Custom Data

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for architecture details, development setup, and how to add new endpoints.