strapi/docs/v3.x/guides/client.md

# Setup a third party client

This guide will explain how to setup a connection with a third party client and use it everywhere in your code.

In our example we will use the GitHub Node.JS client [OctoKit REST.js](https://github.com/octokit/rest.js/).

This guide could also be used to setup an Axios client instance.

## Installation

First you will have to install the client package in your application by running one of the following commands:

:::: tabs

::: tab yarn
`yarn add @octokit/rest`
:::

::: tab npm
`npm install @octokit/rest`
:::

::::

## Create a hook

To init the client, we will use the [hooks system](../concepts/hooks.md). Hooks let you add new features in your Strapi application.

Hooks are loaded once at server start.

Lets create our GitHub hook.

**Path —** `./hooks/github/index.js`

```js
module.exports = strapi => {
  return {
    async initialize() {
      console.log('my hook is loaded');
    },
  };
};
```

When the hook is created, we have set it to `enabled` in order for Strapi to load it. You will need to create or edit the file `./config/hook.js`.

**Path —** `./config/hook.js`

```js
module.exports = {
  settings: {
    github: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  },
};
```

Now you can start your application, you should see a log `my hook is loaded` in your terminal.

## Initialize the client

First lets update the config file to add your [GitHub token](https://github.com/settings/tokens).
By following the [documentation](https://octokit.github.io/rest.js/#authentication) you will also find the way to use GitHub applications.

**Path —** `./config/hook.js`

```js
module.exports = {
  settings: {
    github: {
      enabled: true,
      token: process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN,
    },
  },
};
```

**Path -** `.env`

```
GITHUB_TOKEN=bf78d4fc3c1767019870476d6d7cc8961383d80f
```

Now we have to load the GitHub client.

**Path —** `./hooks/github/index.js`

```js
const GitHubAPI = require('@octokit/rest');

module.exports = strapi => {
  return {
    async initialize() {
      const { token } = strapi.config.get('hook.settings.github');

      strapi.services.github = new GitHubAPI({
        userAgent: `${strapi.config.get('info.name')} v${strapi.config.get('info.version')}`,
        auth: `token ${token}`,
      });
    },
  };
};
```

And here it is.

You can now use `strapi.services.github` everywhere in your code to use the GitHub client.

To simply test if it works, let's update the `bootstrap.js` function to log your GitHub profile.

**Path —** `./config/functions/bootstrap.js`

```js
module.exports = async () => {
  const data = await strapi.services.github.users.getAuthenticated();
  console.log(data);
};
```

Restart your server and you should see your GitHub profile data.