SignNow API for GitHub Copilot: Build, customize, and troubleshoot eSignature integrations with context-aware AI guidance

Meet the SignNow extension for Copilot, an AI-powered coding assistant that provides real-time code suggestions. The SignNow extension for Copilot allows developers to build custom eSignature integrations faster and with fewer errors by leveraging context-aware code suggestions tailored to SignNow’s API. 

All you need to do is install the free SignNow extension from the GitHub Marketplace, set up a SignNow developer account, and use the @signnow tag in your code editor to access AI-driven code snippets. The SignNow extension for Copilot accelerates development, reduces manual coding efforts, and enhances code quality, making it ideal for both experienced developers and newcomers to the SignNow API.

SignNow, a trusted leader in eSignature solutions, ensures that its API complies with industry standards like eIDAS and the ESIGN Act, providing a secure and legally binding foundation for your integrations. Whether you’re embedding signing workflows or managing document groups, SignNow extension for Copilot simplifies the process, offering step-by-step guidance directly within your coding environment.

What is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant developed by GitHub in partnership with OpenAI. It integrates with code editors like Visual Studio Code, offering real-time code suggestions based on natural language prompts or existing code context. Trained on a vast dataset of public code, Copilot can generate entire functions, complete code blocks, and assist with troubleshooting by suggesting fixes.

For developers working with eSignature integrations, Copilot becomes even more powerful with the SignNow extension, providing tailored code suggestions that align with SignNow’s developer guidelines and documentation.

How does SignNow integrate with GitHub Copilot?

SignNow has created a custom extension for GitHub Copilot, available on the GitHub Marketplace, that enhances the AI’s capabilities for its REST API. This extension uses SignNow’s thoroughly tested documentation to deliver precise, context-aware code suggestions. Developers can install it for free and use it to streamline their integration projects.

Here’s how it works:

1. Install the SignNow API extension from the GitHub Marketplace.
2. Set up a SignNow developer account and generate an API key from the API dashboard.
3. In your code editor, use the @signnow tag to prompt Copilot for SignNow-specific code completions.

This integration ensures that developers get accurate, documentation-driven suggestions, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency.

What are the benefits of using SignNow with GitHub Copilot?

Using SignNow with GitHub Copilot offers clear advantages for developers:

• Faster development: AI-generated code suggestions cut down the time needed to write and test integrations.
• Fewer errors: Suggestions are based on SignNow’s tested documentation, reducing the risk of coding mistakes.
• Easier onboarding: New developers can learn the SignNow API quickly with AI-guided examples.
• Better troubleshooting: Copilot suggests fixes for common issues, speeding up debugging.
• High-quality code: Generated code follows best practices and aligns with SignNow’s standards.

These benefits make it easier to build robust eSignature solutions, whether for individual developers or enterprise teams.

How do I get started with SignNow’s GitHub Copilot extension?

Getting started is simple and takes just a few steps:

1. Install the Extension:
   • Go to https://github.com/apps/signnow to install the SignNow extension for GitHub Copilot.
     
2. Create a SignNow Developer Account:
   • Visit SignNow’s developer portal.
   • Sign up for a free account and log in to the API dashboard.
     
3. Generate an API Key:
   • In the dashboard, create a new app and generate an API key to authorize your requests.
     
4. Start Coding:
   • Open your code editor with GitHub Copilot installed.
   • Type prompts like @signnow upload a document to get tailored code suggestions.

Once set up, you can begin building custom integrations immediately, with Copilot providing real-time assistance.

What can I build with SignNow and GitHub Copilot?

With this integration, developers can create a variety of eSignature workflows, including:

• Embedded signing: Add signing capabilities directly into your app.
• Multi-document workflows: Upload, group, and send multiple documents for signatures.
• Custom branding: Apply your company’s logo and colors to the signing process.
• Webhook notifications: Get real-time updates on document status changes.
• Document retrieval: Download signed documents or access their history programmatically.

Copilot’s code suggestions make these projects faster to implement and easier to customize.

Example: Send a branded document group to multiple recipients

Step 1: Create a brand

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that creates a brand named Test brand. 
• Explanation: This step establishes a new brand in SignNow, forming the basis for a tailored signing experience.

Step 2: Customize brand resources

• Add a logo
  • Prompt: Generate a Java code example that adds the company’s logo to the signing session and the completion page.
  • Explanation: This uploads your company logo, ensuring it appears during the signing process and on the completion page for a polished, professional look.

• Customize the welcome message
  • Prompt: Generate a Java code example that customizes the color scheme and welcome message for the signing session (general resource). The background color is: header background: #A6A9AD; main background: #A6A9AD. The welcome message is: “Thank you for doing business with us.” All other button and icon colors are default.
  • Explanation: This defines a uniform color scheme and adds a welcoming message to improve the signer’s experience.

• Customize the signing session, completion page, and authentication page
  • Prompt: Generate a Java code example that customizes the signing session (editor resource). Hide the navigation panel, set the default page dimension settings to 120, hide the sidebar, and hide the More Actions dropdown. Customize the document completion page with the header “Agreement successfully signed” and the message “Thank you for doing business with us.” Hide all other buttons and links on the completion page. Customize the signer authentication page with the header “Acme company invited you to sign {document_name}”, request-pin text “Press the button below to have the password sent to you by voice call or sms message”, check-pin text “Enter the document password sent you by voice call or sms”, and password text “Enter the document password below to unlock the document”.
  • Explanation: This customizes the signing interface, completion page, and authentication page to streamline the process and reinforce your brand identity.

Step 3: Assign a brand to your application

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that assigns the brand with settings to your application.
• Explanation: This connects the customized brand to your application, ensuring all signature requests reflect your branding.
• Note: Branding can also be applied to a document group, application, or organization.

Step 4: Upload documents

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that uploads two documents without fields: Agreement and Invoice.
• Explanation: This uploads the Agreement and Invoice documents to SignNow, preparing them for field assignment and signing.

Step 5: Add fields and assign roles

• Add fields to the agreement
  • Prompt: Generate a Java code example that adds the following fields to the agreement: for the seller: text field (seller_name), signature field (seller_signature), date field (seller_date); for the buyer: text field (buyer_name), signature field (buyer_signature), date field (buyer_date);
  • Explanation: This assigns fields to the Agreement, specifying roles for the seller and buyer to fill out.
    
• Add fields to the invoice
  • Prompt: Generate a Java code example that adds the following fields to the Invoice: for the manager: signature field (manager_signature), date field (manager_date)
  • Explanation: This adds signature and date fields to the Invoice for the manager to complete.

Step 6: Create a document group

• Prompt: Use the IDs of the Agreement and Invoice to generate a Java code example that creates a document group named Sales package.
• Explanation: This combines the Agreement and Invoice into a “Sales package” for easier management and signing.

Step 7: Create an embedded document group invite

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that creates an embedded invite for the Sales package. The invite will be sent to three recipients: Seller with the email [email protected] (Agreement signer), Buyer with the email [email protected] (Agreement signer), Manager with the email [email protected] (Invoice signer). The Sales package should be sent to the recipients in order. The auth_method is none. Add authentication during the signing session for all recipients: Seller: via password 12345, Buyer: via password 12345, Manager: via SMS sent to +12345678 with the text “Enter {password} to review and sign the document.” When the recipient completes signing or closes the document, they should be redirected to https://www.signnow.com/. The link should open in a new window. The language of the signing session for recipients is English.
• Explanation: This sets up an embedded invite for the Sales package, specifying recipients, authentication methods, and post-signing redirect behavior.

Step 8: Create links for recipients

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that creates a link for the Sales package embedded invite for the buyer, seller, and manager. The link should expire in 45 minutes.
• Explanation: This creates secure, time-limited links for each recipient to access the signing session.

Step 9: Subscribe to webhooks

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that subscribes to the document_group.complete event. The callback URL is https://webhook.site/68ec8ec8-d13a-4555-966e-b4f609924733.
• Explanation: This establishes a webhook to alert you when the document group is fully signed.
• Note: Alternatively, use user.document_group.complete to receive notifications for all completed groups associated with this user.

Step 10: Download the signed document group

• Prompt: Generate a Java code example that downloads the executed document group as a ZIP file. Include the detailed history.
• Explanation: This retrieves the signed Sales package and its history as a ZIP file, wrapping up the workflow.

With these prompts and code examples for SignNow’s extension in Copilot, you can efficiently construct a customized embedded signing workflow using SignNow’s API. This approach demonstrates how AI tools can streamline the creation of powerful eSignature solutions, all without needing to delve into the code itself.

Final Thoughts

SignNow’s integration with GitHub Copilot is a game-changer for developers building eSignature integrations. By combining SignNow’s code examples with Copilot’s AI-powered assistance, you can deliver solutions faster, with higher quality and less effort. SignNow extension is a practical tool for streamlining development and enhancing the onboarding experience.