clay-local-dev-loop

name	clay-local-dev-loop
description	Set up a local development loop for building and testing Clay integrations. Use when iterating on Clay webhook handlers, testing enrichment pipelines, or building scripts that push data into Clay tables. Trigger with phrases like "clay local dev", "clay development setup", "clay testing locally", "clay dev workflow", "iterate clay integration".
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Edit, Bash(curl:*), Bash(npm:*), Bash(npx:*), Bash(node:*), Bash(python3:*)
version	1.0.0
license	MIT
author	Jeremy Longshore <[e-mail]>
compatible-with	claude-code, codex, openclaw
tags	["saas","clay","development","testing"]

Clay Local Dev Loop

Overview

Clay is a web-based platform with no local runtime. Your local dev loop consists of: (1) scripts that push data into Clay via webhooks, (2) Clay enrichment running in the cloud, and (3) HTTP API columns pushing enriched data back to your local endpoint via ngrok. This skill sets up that feedback loop.

Prerequisites

• Completed clay-install-auth setup
• Node.js 18+ or Python 3.10+
• ngrok installed (npm install -g ngrok or ngrok.com)
• Clay table with webhook source configured

Instructions

Step 1: Expose Your Local Server via ngrok

Clay's HTTP API enrichment columns need a public URL to call your local endpoints.

# Start ngrok tunnel to your local server
ngrok http 3000
# Copy the HTTPS forwarding URL (e.g., https://abc123.ngrok-free.app)

Step 2: Create a Local Webhook Receiver

// src/clay-receiver.ts — receives enriched data from Clay HTTP API columns
import express from 'express';

const app = express();
app.use(express.json());

// Clay HTTP API column calls this endpoint
app.post('/api/clay/enriched', (req, res) => {
  const enrichedData = req.body;
  console.log('Enriched record received from Clay:', {
    email: enrichedData.email,
    company: enrichedData.company_name,
    title: enrichedData.job_title,
    enrichment_source: enrichedData._clay_source,
  });

  // Process the enriched data (save to DB, trigger outreach, etc.)
  res.({ : , :  ().() });
});


app.(,  {
  res.({ : , :  });
});

app.(,  {
  .();
  .();
});