---
description: Learn how to use a hook to add Stripe customers when items are created.
contributors: Tim Butterfield, Kevin Lewis
---

# Use Hooks to Create Stripe Customers

Hooks allow you to trigger your own code under certain conditions. This tutorial will show you how to create a Stripe
account when an item is created in Directus and write the customer ID back to the record.

## Install Dependencies

Open a console to your preferred working directory and initialize a new extension, which will create the boilerplate
code for your display.

```shell
npx create-directus-extension@latest
```

A list of options will appear (choose hook), and type a name for your extension (for example,
`directus-hook-create-stripe-customer`). For this guide, select JavaScript.

Now the boilerplate has been created, install the stripe package, and then open the directory in your code editor.

```
cd directus-endpoint-stripe
npm install stripe
```

## Build the Hook

Create a collection called Customers with a field called `stripe_id` and the following required fields: `first_name`,
`last_name` and `email_address` (unique). This hook will be used to create a new customer in Stripe whenever a new
customer is created in Directus.

Open the `index.js` file inside the src directory. Delete all the existing code and start with the import of the
`stripe` package:

```js
import Stripe from 'stripe';
```

Create an initial export. This hook will need to intercept the save function with `action` and include `env` for the
environment variables and `services` to write back to the record:

```js
export default ({ action }, { env, services }) => {};
```

Inside the function, define the internal `ItemsService` Directus API function from the `services` scope. Also include
the `MailService` to send yourself an email if the Stripe API fails.

```js
export default ({ action }, { env, services }) => {
	const { MailService, ItemsService } = services; // [!code ++]
};
```

Next, capture the `items.create` stream using `action` and pull out the `key`, `collection`, and `payload`:

```js
action('items.create', async ({ key, collection, payload }, { schema }) => {});
```

When using filters and actions, it’s important to remember this will capture **all** events so you should set some
restrictions. Inside the action, exclude anything that’s not in the customers collection.

```js
action('items.create', async ({ key, collection, payload }, { schema }) => {
	if (collection !== 'customers') return; // [!code ++]
});
```

Instantiate Stripe with the secret token:

```js
const stripe = new Stripe(env.STRIPE_TOKEN);
```

`env` looks inside the Directus environment variables for `STRIPE_TOKEN`. In order to start using this hook, this
variable must be added to your `.env` file. This can be found in the developers area on your Stripe dashboard.

Create a new customer with the customer's name and email as the input values.

```js
stripe.customers
	.create({
		name: `${payload.first_name} ${payload.last_name}`,
		email: payload.email_address,
	})
	.then((customer) => {})
	.catch((error) => {});
```

If successful, update the record with the new customer id from stripe. The API call returns the customer object into the
`customer` variable, be sure to look up what other data is included in this response.

Use the `ItemsService` to update the customer record. Initialize the service and perform the API query:

```js
stripe.customers
	.create({})
	.then((customer) => {
		const customers = new ItemsService(collection, { schema: schema }); // [!code ++]
		customers.updateByQuery({ filter: { id: key } }, { stripe_id: customer.id }, { emitEvents: false }); // [!code ++]
	})
	.catch((error) => {});
```

By setting `emitEvents` to `false`, the `items.update` event will not trigger, which prevents flows or hooks from
running as a result of this item update.

Add an exception if the Stripe API fails.

```js
stripe.customers
	.create({})
	.then((customer) => {})
	.catch((error) => {
		mailService.send({ // [!code ++]
			to: 'sharedmailbox@directus.io', // [!code ++]
			from: 'noreply@directus.io', // [!code ++]
			subject: `An error has occurred with Stripe API`, // [!code ++]
			text: `The following error occurred for ${payload.first_name} ${payload.last_name} when attempting to create an account in Stripe.\r\n\r\n${error}\r\n\r\nPlease investigate.\r\n\r\nID: ${key}\r\nEmail: ${payload.email_address}`, // [!code ++]
		}); // [!code ++]
	});
```

Build the hook with the latest changes.

```
npm run build
```

## Add Hook to Directus

When Directus starts, it will look in the `extensions` directory for any subdirectory starting with
`directus-extension-`, and attempt to load them.

To install an extension, copy the entire directory with all source code, the `package.json` file, and the `dist`
directory into the Directus `extensions` directory. Make sure the directory with your extension has a name that starts
with `directus-extension`. In this case, you may choose to use `directus-extension-hook-create-stripe-customer`.

Ensure the `.env` file has `STRIPE_TOKEN` variable.

Restart Directus to load the extension.

:::info Required files

Only the `package.json` and `dist` directory are required inside of your extension directory. However, adding the source
code has no negative effect.

:::

## Summary

With Stripe now integrated in this hook, whenever a new customer is created, this hook will create a customer in Stripe
and write back the customer ID to Directus. Now that you know how to interact with the Stripe API, you can investigate
other endpoints that Stripe has to offer.

## Complete Code

`index.js`

```js
import Stripe from 'stripe';

export default ({ action }, { env, services }) => {
	const { MailService, ItemsService } = services;

	action('items.create', async ({ key, collection, payload }, { schema }) => {
		if (collection !== 'customers') return;
		const stripe = new Stripe(env.STRIPE_TOKEN);

		stripe.customers
			.create({
				name: `${payload.first_name} ${payload.last_name}`,
				email: payload.email_address,
			})
			.then((customer) => {
				const customers = new ItemsService(collection, { schema: schema });
				customers.updateByQuery({ filter: { id: key } }, { stripe_id: customer.id }, { emitEvents: false });
			})
			.catch((error) => {
				mailService.send({
					to: 'sharedmailbox@directus.io',
					from: 'noreply@directus.io',
					subject: `An error has occurred with Stripe API`,
					text: `The following error occurred for ${payload.first_name} ${payload.last_name} when attempting to create an account in Stripe.\r\n\r\n${error}\r\n\r\nPlease investigate.\r\n\r\nID: ${key}\r\nEmail: ${payload.email_address}`,
				});
			});
	});
};
```
