# Best Practices

> Guidelines for building reliable, high-quality integrations.

URL: https://docs.reaktly.com/docs/integrations/best-practices

## Security

- **Never hardcode API keys** — Use environment variables
- **Use one API key per connector** — Easier to revoke and audit
- **Rotate keys regularly** — Set expiration dates on API keys

## Content Quality

- **Write for AI** — Clear, descriptive content produces better answers
- **Include context** — Don't just provide titles; include full descriptions
- **Use meaningful external IDs** — Makes debugging and deduplication easier
- **Set source types correctly** — Helps the AI provide contextual responses

## Performance

- **Use bulk endpoints** for initial loads (batches of 50-100 items)
- **Include hash values** to skip unchanged content
- **Use `low` priority** for background syncs, `high` for user-triggered imports
- **Implement retry logic** with exponential backoff

## Monitoring

- **Log sync results** — Track success/failure rates
- **Monitor knowledge base** — Check that content appears after ingestion
- **Review AI responses** — Ensure ingested content improves answer quality
- **Set up alerts** — Notify your team if sync jobs fail repeatedly