Kaizen #15 - Java SDK for Self Client
Hello everyone!
Welcome to yet another post in the Kaizen series.
This week, we are going to discuss the Java SDK for a self client .
What is a Software Development Kit (SDK)?
A software development kit contains all the tools (compiler, debugger, code samples, and so on) that are needed to create applications in one package. SDKs are language-specific and thus used to build client applications in a specific programming language.
Java Software Development Kit
Java SDK allows you to create a client Java applications that can be integrated with Zoho CRM effortlessly. It serves as a wrapper for the REST APIs , thus making it easier to use the services of Zoho CRM.
Here is a sample of how SDK acts as a middleware between Zoho CRM and Client Java Application.
What can you do with the Java Software Development Kit?
- You can use Java SDK to exchange data between Zoho CRM and the client Java application.
- The authentication process becomes hassle-free with Java SDK. Since it is handled in the SDK code by default, you need not worry about generating the grant token, access/refresh tokens every time you sync data between Zoho CRM and your self client.
Environment Setup
Java SDK requires Java version 7 or above to be set up in your development environment.
Including the Java SDK in your project
You can include the Java SDK in your project using:
a. Maven distribution
b. Gradle
c. Downloadable JARs
a. Maven distribution - It is a build automation tool used primarily for Java projects. Include the following code to your pom.XML file.
<repositories> <repository> <id>java-sdk</id> <url> https://maven.zohodl.com </url> </repository> </repositories> <dependencies> <dependency> <groupId>com.zoho.crm</groupId> <artifactId>java-sdk</artifactId> <version>2.0.2</version> </dependency> </dependencies> |
b. Gradle - It is also a build tool, similar to Maven. The major difference is that, instead of XML files, Gradle uses Groovy (a domain-specific programming language) to declare the Java project configuration. You need to add the following code to your build.gradle file.
repositories{ maven { url " https://maven.zohodl.com " } } dependencies{ implementation 'com.zoho.crm:java-sdk:2.0.2' } |
c. Downloadable JARs (by Zoho) - Java Archive is a platform-independent file format that aggregates many files into one. The JAR file consists of the SDK. You have to download individual dependency JARs and add them to your reference libraries in your Java application: Download JAR (SDK)
Click here to download the dependency JARs.
The list of dependency JARs are:
- hamcrest-all-1.3 : Hamcrest consists of a single jar file that contains base classes and a library of useful matcher implementations.
- httpclient-4.4.1 : The Apache HttpClient library allows you to handle HTTP requests.
- httpcore-4.4.4 : HttpCore is a set of low-level HTTP transport components that you can use to build custom client and server-side HTTP services.
- httpmime-4.5.3 : The Apache HttpMime library consists of MIME code entities.
- json-20170516 : The files in this package implement JSON encoders/decoders in Java. It also includes the capability to convert between JSON and XML, HTTP headers, Cookies, and CDL.
- servlet-api-2.5 : Servlet API consists of classes to support HTTP servlet.
- commons-logging-1.1.3 : The commons-logging JAR provides an API for logging in server-based applications that you can use around a variety of different logging implementations.
- mysql-connector-java-5.1.44-bin.jar : You need to include this JAR if you are using a MySQL database. MySQL Connector JAR provides connectivity for java client applications with MySQL Connector (a driver that implements the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) API)
How to start using the Java SDK?
In this section, we will discuss how to start using the Java SDK for your application (authenticated via self-client) which uses Zoho CRM.
- Prerequisite: Register your application
- Knowlege Base: Adding persistence classes
- Initialization
1. Prerequisite: Register your application
All the Zoho CRM APIs are authenticated by the OAuth2.0 standards . It is mandatory to authenticate the self client with Zoho.
Step 1: Goto https://api-console.zoho.com
Step 2: Click ADD CLIENT
Step 3: Choose Self Client and click CREATE NOW
Step 4: Choose the Client Type as Self Client , and click CREATE .
Step 5: Once you successfully register your self-client, you will receive a Client ID and Client Secret .
2. Knowledge Base: Adding persistence classes
This section consists of two parts:
a. Initializing your client application
b. Adding persistence classes
a. Initializing your client application
To authenticate the client application, you need to add the following key-value configuration pairs to the initialization code of your java client.
Key Description
Key | Description |
client_id, client_secret, and redirect_uri mandatory | You can get these values after registering your client. |
currentUserEmail mandatory | The Email ID of the current user. |
persistence_handler_class mandatory | The implementation of ZohoOAuthPersistenceInterface |
logFilePath optional | The absolute/relative file path of the file that stores the logs. |
domainSuffix optional | The domain from which the API calls are made. It can be .com (for US), .eu (for Europe), .cn (for China). If you specify this value, you need not specify apiBaseUrl and iamURL. |
accessType optional | The type of environment from which the API calls are made. Possible values are "Production", "Development", or "Sandbox" |
access_type optional | Must be set as as "offline". Online OAuth client is not supported by the Java SDK as of now |
apiBaseUrl optional | The URL that is used to make API calls. You need not specify this value if you give domainSuffix. The possible values are: https://www.zohoapis.com (default) |
iamURL optional | The accounts URL. You need not specify this value if you specify domainSuffix. The possible values are: |
mysql_password and mysql_username mandatory when you use MySQL persistence | The MySQL username and password, respectively. |
Key Value Configuration
HashMap <String, String> zcrmConfigurations = new HashMap <String, String >(); zcrmConfigurations.put("minLogLevel", "ALL"); zcrmConfigurations.put("currentUserEmail","{user_email_id}"); zcrmConfigurations.put("client_id","1000. xxxxxxxxx"); zcrmConfigurations.put("client_secret","xxxxxxxxxxxx"); zcrmConfigurations.put("redirect_uri",""); zcrmConfigurations.put("persistence_handler_class","com.zoho.oauth.clientapp.ZohoOAuthDBPersistence ");//for database. "com.zoho.oauth.clientapp.ZohoOAuthFilePersistence" for file, user can implement his own persistence and provide the path here zcrmConfigurations.put("oauth_tokens_file_path","/path/to/oauthtokens.properties");//optional path can be absolute(Ex:/User/Document/testapplication/src/oauthtokens.properties) or relative (Ex: /testapplication/src/oauthtokens.properties) zcrmConfigurations.put("domainSuffix","com");//optional. Default is com. "cn", "eu", and "in" supported zcrmConfigurations.put("accessType","Production");//Production->www(default), Development->developer, Sandbox->sandbox(optional) zcrmConfigurations.put("access_type","offline");//optional zcrmConfigurations.put("apiBaseUrl"," https://www.zohoapis.com ");//optional zcrmConfigurations.put("iamURL"," https://accounts.zoho.com ");//optional zcrmConfigurations.put("logFilePath","/path/to/file.log");//path can be absolute(Ex:/User/Document/testapplication/src/file.log) or relative (Ex: /testapplication/src/file.log) zcrmConfigurations.put("mysql_password","pass@123");//optional zcrmConfigurations.put("mysql_username",username");//optional ZCRMRestClient.initialize(zcrmConfigurations);//for initializing |
2. Adding persistence class
Your application should retain tokens (grant, access, and refresh tokens) to automate the process of data-sync between your java application and Zoho CRM.
You can persist tokens in your application by using any one of the below mentioned persistence methods:
a. By using an implementation of the inbuilt ZohoPersistenceHandler interface .
- ZohoOAuthFilePersistence (To store tokens in a File )
- ZohoOAuthDBPersistence (To store tokens in a Database )
b. By using your own implementation
Let us now look into each of the above mentioned methods.
a. By using an implementation of the inbuilt ZohoPersistenceHandler interface
Our Java SDK provides two default implementations of the ZohoPersistenceHandler interface within the client library. They are:
i. ZohoOAuthFilePersistence
ii. ZohoOAuthDBPersistence
i. ZohoOAuthFilePersistence - This type of persistence uses a file to read and write OAuth tokens. The file persists the token of a single user. So, it is best used for the 'self-client' type of authentication since it involves only one user.
Values to be given in configuration map
persistence_handler_class =com.zoho.oauth.clientapp.ZohoOAuthFilePersistence
oauth_tokens_file_path =absolute or relative path of the "oauthtokens.properties" file in the workspace.
ii. ZohoOAuthDBPersistence - This type of persistence uses MySQL persistence. You can use this type of persistence if you have more than one user using the application.
Some of the prerequisites for using this type of persistence are:
- MySQL should be running in the same machine serving at the default port 3306.
- The database name should be "zohooauth".
There must be a table "oauthtokens" with the columns "useridentifier" (varchar(255)), "accesstoken" (varchar(255)), "refreshtoken" (varchar(255)) and "expirytime" (bigint).
Values to be given in configuration map
persistence_handler_class =com.zoho.oauth.clientapp.ZohoOAuthDBPersistence
mysql_username =root
mysql_password ={your MySQL password}
b. By using your own implementation
You can also use your own implementation. The ZohoPersistenceHandler interface must have the following methods:
- getOAuthTokens() — invoked to fetch the saved tokens. This method should return ZohoOAuthTokens object for the library to process it.
- saveOAuthData(ZohoOAuthTokens tokens) — invoked to store the tokens.
- deleteOAuthTokens() — invoked to delete the tokens.
C. Initialization
Intializing your application involves the following steps:
Step 1: Generating the grant token
Step 2: Generating the access and refresh tokens using the grant token
Step 3: Generating the access token using the refresh token
Step 1: Generating the Grant Token
(i). Go to https://api-console.zoho.com/
(ii). Choose Self-Client
(iii). Enter the comma separated ZohoCRM scopes along with aaaserver.profile.READ . Choose the time duration (the grant token will be valid only till the time chosen here) and enter the description . Now, click GENERATE.
(iii). Copy the grant token displayed
Step 2: Generating the Access and Refresh Tokens
After obtaining the grant token, put the following code snippet in a java file and execute it from your main class to get access and refresh tokens.
ZCRMRestClient.initialize(configurations_map); ZohoOAuthClient cli = ZohoOAuthClient.getInstance(); String grantToken = “paste_the_self_authorized_grant_token_here”; ZohoOAuthTokens tokens = cli.generateAccessToken(grantToken); String accessToken = tokens.getAccessToken(); String refreshToken = tokens.getRefreshToken(); System.out.println("access token = " + accessToken + " & refresh token = " + refreshToken); |
2a. On using ZohoOAuthFilePersistence method
The access and refresh tokens are generated and stored in the oauth_tokens.properties file .
2b. On using ZohoOAuthDBPersistence method
The access and refresh tokens are generated and stored in " oauthtokens " table of your MySQL
Step 3: Generating the Access token from Refresh token
Use the below code snippet to generate the access token from the refresh token.
ZohoOAuthClient client = ZohoOAuthClient.getInstance(); client.generateAccessTokenFromRefreshToken(refreshToken, userMailId); |
Sample SDK Code
When you build your application using the Java SDK, the code template will be similar to:
Refer to the attachment to get the code. For more sample codes, refer to our SDK guide .
The isTokenGenerated Method:
This method checks if the access token has already been generated or not. It returns a boolean value:
true - The access token has already been generated.
false - The access token has not been generated previously, thus, it shifts the control to the code snippet that leads to access token generation.
See you next week with another post.
Cheers!
Previous 'Kaizen' - Notification API
Next 'Kaizen' - Python SDK
Access your files securely from anywhere
Centralize Knowledge. Transform Learning.
All-in-one knowledge management and training platform for your employees and customers.
New to Zoho Recruit?
Zoho Developer Community
New to Zoho LandingPage?
Zoho LandingPage Resources
New to Zoho Survey?
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Bigin?
Topic Participants
Sneha Sridharan
Umashankar
Praveen Sankar
Sticky Posts
Kaizen #198: Using Client Script for Custom Validation in Blueprint
Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – 1 More to the Big Two-Oh-Oh! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.Kaizen #226: Using ZRC in Client Script
Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. In today's post, lets see what is ZRC (Zoho Request Client) and how we can use ZRC methods in Client Script to get inputs from a Salesperson and update the Lead status with a single button click. In thisKaizen #222 - Client Script Support for Notes Related List
Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. The final Kaizen post of the year 2025 is here! With the new Client Script support for the Notes Related List, you can validate, enrich, and manage notes across modules. In this post, we’ll explore howKaizen #217 - Actions APIs : Tasks
Welcome to another week of Kaizen! In last week's post we discussed Email Notifications APIs which act as the link between your Workflow automations and you. We have discussed how Zylker Cloud Services uses Email Notifications API in their custom dashboard.Kaizen #216 - Actions APIs : Email Notifications
Welcome to another week of Kaizen! For the last three weeks, we have been discussing Zylker's workflows. We successfully updated a dormant workflow, built a new one from the ground up and more. But our work is not finished—these automated processes are
New to Zoho TeamInbox?
Zoho TeamInbox Resources
Zoho CRM Plus Resources
Zoho Books Resources
Zoho Subscriptions Resources
Zoho Projects Resources
Zoho Sprints Resources
Qntrl Resources
Zoho Creator Resources
Zoho CRM Resources
Design. Discuss. Deliver.
Zoho Show Resources
Get Started. Write Away!
Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.
Zoho CRM コンテンツ
-
オンラインヘルプ
-
Webセミナー
-
機能活用動画
-
よくある質問
-
Ebook
-
-
Zoho Campaigns
- Zoho サービスのWebセミナー
その他のサービス コンテンツ
Nederlandse Hulpbronnen
ご検討中の方
Recent Topics
How to change column headings in pivot table?
Hi, Is there a way to rename the column headers of a pivot table? Now some the columns are named with value labels: 'SUM of .....'. We would like to rename those headers. As of now we couldn't find any direct solution to adjust the headers, besides copying and reformat. We want to avoid these extra steps. Best, TiemenNative QuickBooks integration for Zoho CRM: Connecting sales and finance
Greetings, I hope all of you are doing well. We're excited to announce Zoho CRM's integration with QuickBooks Web, which is designed to synchronize your CRM data with your QuickBooks accounting records and bridge the gap between sales and finance. ThisRename system-defined labels in Zoho CRM
Renaming system-defined labels is now available across all DCs. Hello everyone, Zoho CRM includes predefined system fields across modules to support essential CRM operations. Until now, the labels of these fields were fixed and could not be edited fromReport/All Entries Filter Contains to support multiple values
Hi, I use different fields to filter All Entries before Export, one is the Added Email ID (May soon replace with the new Logged in User Name Field!!), and I want to filter for more than one person, so select "Contains", but I try with a comma seperatingEdit a previous reconciliation
I realized that during my March bank reconciliation, I chose the wrong check to reconcile (they were for the same amount on the same date, I just chose the wrong check to reconcile). So now, the incorrect check is showing as un-reconciled. Is there any way I can edit a previous reconciliation (this is 7 months ago) so I can adjust the check that was reconciled? The amounts are exactly the same and it won't change my ending balance.Marketing Tip #32: Improve SEO and customer confidence with an FAQ section
Before making a purchase, customers often have simple questions about delivery times, returns, product usage, or sizing. If they can’t quickly find answers, they may leave your store without buying. Adding a clear FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) sectionZobot with Plugs
Hello, I am having a problem with Zobot using Plugs. Here is my current flow: When I run the flow, I should immediately see the messages from the initial cards (Send Message cards), then after running the plug, and finally, see the messages after theZoho Creator é para você? Saiba quando escolher (e quando não escolher) essa plataforma
Todo mês alguém me pergunta: "Leandro, vale a pena usar o Zoho Creator para o meu projeto?" A resposta honesta é: depende. E neste artigo vou te dar os critérios reais que uso para tomar essa decisão — sem marketing, sem generalização. O que é Zoho Creator,Control Fields on Mobile App
On the mobile app, how do we control which fields appear on the screen for records that have a related list? In the example below I want the Inspection Stage and Inspection Type fields to appear, not the record owner (Dev Admin). I changed the InspectionsShow Zoho Marketing Automation Messages in SalesIQ Chat
When the same number is used in Zoho Marketing Automation and SalesIQ, campaign messages should be visible inside the SalesIQ chat. Currently, when customers reply to marketing campaign messages, SalesIQ chat owners get confused because they cannot seeSwitch between multiple LLMs instantly for tailored Zia experiences
Availability Editions: Professional , Enterprise, Ultimate , CRMPlus , ZohoOne Release Plan: Available for all DCs Hello everyone. Earlier, the Multi-LLM feature supported only one LLM at a time for Zia Record Assistant bot restricting flexibility fromLost the ability to sort by ticket owner
Hi all, in the last week or so, we have lost the ability to sort tickets by Ticket Owner. Unlike the other columns which we can hover over and click on to sort, Ticket Owner is no longer clickable. Is it just us, or are other customers seeing this too?SalesIQ Chat Owner to CRM Lead Owner Mapping
There is no proper mapping between the SalesIQ chat owner and the CRM lead owner. When a chat is assigned to an agent, the lead created in CRM is often assigned to a different user, forcing admins to manually change ownership every time. This createsAutomatic Email Alerts for Errors in Zoho Creator Logs
Hello, We would like to request a feature enhancement in Zoho Creator regarding error notifications. Currently, Zoho Creator allows users to view logs and errors for each application by navigating to Zoho Creator > Operations > Logs. However, there is[Webinar] Agentic AI and its influence on analytics and autonomous decision-making
Analytics is evolving from passive reporting to proactive, intelligent systems. Agentic AI is at the center of this shift, bringing context-aware reasoning, continuous learning, and the ability to act on data in real time. Join this webinar with MichaelZoho One: books and inventory working together
Hi, I was very pleased when I saw that in Zoho Inventory can now pull the orders from Woocommerce. They are now fed in Inventory as Sales order and with choosing convert invoice as Instant Invoice I am getting the exact data as they appear in Woocommerce.Zoho Forms - Form Availability Redirect Option
Hi Forms Team, It would be great if there was a redirect URL option on the Form Availability settings. For example, I would like to create a support form which is only available outside business hours and if the current data and time is not Mon-Fri 9-5VAT and Taxes option not available
Dear ZOHO Team , The VAT and Taxes options in my ZOHO books account not available,I tried to find how to enable or check the way to use this option but unfortunately couldn't find it anywhere ,I'm in UAE ,kindly let me know what to do to solve this issueSyncing zoho books into zoho crm
I was wondering how I can use zoho books in crm as I have been using them separately and would like to sync the two. Is this possible and if so, how? ThanksClient requests I submit invoices using bill.com
The title states it all. I have a reoccurring invoice setup for this client who has been manually paying by credit card. We are both experiencing merchant costs/fees. The use of bill.com's direct deposit is not far removed from Zoho's, only the clientZoho Inventory Feature Roadmap Visible To All
Hello, please consider making your feature roadmap visible to us users so that we know what to expect in future. This may appease current users who are seeking clarification on feature implementation dates, so that they can make an informed decision whetherCan't Remove Payment Gateway
I am getting the error "Settings cannot be cleared as some of the transactions are still in progress." when trying to remove the PayGate payment gateway which I was unable to get working. I am now using paystack and I want to remove Paygate.Improve Zoho Vault search
Hello, we started using Zoho Vault and we really appreciate the app. At the moment, when searching passwords, the search query only targets the password name. I think having the query search among Name, User name, URL, Notes and Tag would be a betterNew in WorkDrive: Personalize your file system with Labels
Data is the driving force behind every decision made by businesses today. We at WorkDrive know every employee needs reliable access to their information and be able to locate the data they need at the right time. Introducing Labels: organize your files in a way that's personal to you. While WorkDrive's Data Templates feature focuses on adding structure to your organization's data, Labels help your team members classify files based on their preference. The Labels created will appear only to theCustom Buttons & Links Now Supported in Portals
We’ve just made portals in Zoho Recruit more powerful and customizable than ever! You can now bring the power of Custom Buttons and Links to your Candidate, Client, Vendor, and Custom Portals, enabling portal users to take direct action without recruiterNo Ability to Rename Record Template PDFs in SendMail Task
As highlighted previously in this post, we still have to deal with the limitation of not being able to rename a record template when sent as a PDF using the SendMail Task. This creates unnecessary complexity for what should be a simple operation, andIntegrate your Outlook/ Office 365 inbox with Zoho CRM via Graph API
Hello folks, In addition to the existing IMAP and POP options, you can now integrate your Outlook/Office 365 inbox with Zoho CRM via Graph API. Why did we add this option? Microsoft Graph API offers a single endpoint to access data from across Microsoft’sWork Type Section in Field Service Settings
Hello Team, We are trying to understand how skills are managed in the system. During our review, we found an article mentioning a section called Work Type, which is used to manage skill assignment. According to the documentation, this section should beMirror Component in Zoho CRM: Access real-time related data without leaving your record
Hi everyone, This feature is now available for the JP, CA, SA, UAE, and AU DCs. We're excited to bring to you Zoho CRM's mirror component, which presents relevant data on a record's details page and keeps everything users need in one place without havingClone a Module??
I am giong to repurpose the Vendors module but would like to have a separate but very similar module for another group of contacts called Buyers. I have already repurposed Contacts to Sellers. Is it possible to clone (make a duplicate) module of VendorsIs there lead tracking in Bigin? There should be.
Is there a way to track leads before they are ready to be added to Pipelines? I'm afraid we're going to lose opportunities. Example: We're sending out small batches of 25 emails to those we collected at tradeshows. They are all qualified leads. Out ofHow to get static reports via Desk API
Hello, we are hoping to use the Desk API to automatically export the default static reports in Zoho Desk, or reconstruct them via other API calls. What's the best way to do this? For example, if I want to recreate the Response Time static report via theProduct updates in Zoho Workplace applications | April 2026
Hello Workplace Community, Let’s take a look at the new features and enhancements that went live across all Workplace applications for the month of April. Zoho Mail Enhance group member exports with additional data fields Customize your group member exportsBilling Status Update
Hello Latha, I’m working on a new automation (deluge) to fulfill one of our requirements. In this automation, there is a step to update the Work Order billing status from “Not Yet Invoiced” to “Non-Billable.” I tried to find the API information relevantZoho Projects Coming to CRM Teamspaces
Availability: The US DC Standard Edition is now available. It will be rolled out to customer accounts in all DCs in phased manner. Hello all, You are probably already familiar with Teamspaces, the dedicated workspaces where teams organize the CRM modulesCustomise Lead Source and Sub Lead Source per webinar
We have an integration between Zoho Meeting and Zoho CRM. New leads are imported into CRM but now they all have the source "Zoho Webinar". Can I change this source? Can I add a sub source? And can I customize these fields per webinar? (So different webinarsZoho Projects Roadshows 2026 - APAC
Dear Users, Building on the amazing response to our roadshows in 2025, we are excited to announce our next set of roadshows in the APAC region. To start with, our team of experts will conduct these events in Singapore and Manila. They will walk you throughhow do i add more than one google my business location?
they are connected to one account, but while connecting social channels it makes me pick one location. I have 3 and growing.Notes - Reaction Buttons
Using the native notes option within CRM is fine, it works and the RTF features are great, however, would it be possible - if there isnt already something in place, where we can add a reactions button, similar to teams/whatsapp to show that its been readZoho Analytics: Clarification on Email Schedule Limits in Basic Plan
Hi Team, I have a question regarding the email scheduling limits in the Zoho Analytics Basic Plan. The plan shows that I can create 4 email schedules. However, I understand that schedule consumption is calculated based on recipients (i.e., 1 scheduleNext Page