Guide to Using the API
The Zum Rails API will allow you to build a payment flow into your existing architecture in a way that you will have complete control over adding users (payees and payors) and creating transactions.
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and interact with each other.
It defines how requests and responses should be formatted and how data should be exchanged between applications.
To integrate our API into your application, you can follow these general steps:
Understand the API
Start by reviewing the Zum Rails API documentation. Understand the available endpoints, the required parameters, and the expected responses.
This will give you a clear understanding of how to interact with the API.
Set up the Environment
Depending on the programming language or framework you're using, you may need to install any required dependencies or libraries to facilitate API integration.
Make sure your development environment is properly set up.
Download Postman
We offer a Postman collection for you to integrate.
It can be found in this section of our API docs.
Authentication
To authenticate with the Zūm Rails API, follow these steps:
Log in to the Zūm Portal.
Navigate to Webhook & API Settings.
Under the API Settings section, locate your API credentials.
Copy your API Username.
Click Generate Password to create a new API password.
Save the generated password in a secure location.
Important: The API password is only displayed once and will not be stored in the Zūm Portal. Once you leave or refresh the page, the password cannot be retrieved. If it is lost, you will need to generate a new one.
You can then use the API username and password to authenticate your requests to the Zūm Rails API.
Understanding the Authorization Flow
Once you have your API username and password, you can get the API base URLs and specifics.
To authorize, set the API base URL and method.
Then pass your API username and password. The endpoint to authenticate is:
POST {{env}}/api/authorize.
Once you authorize successfully, you will receive an HTTP status code of 200 and the message POST Request successful.
You will also receive a bearer token, which will last up to an hour from the time it is generated, allowing multiple API calls to be made securely without authorization each time.
Make HTTP Requests
The Zum Rails API uses the HTTP protocol for communication.
Use a library or framework in your chosen programming language to make HTTP requests to the API's endpoints.
These libraries often provide convenient methods for handling HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and adding headers or parameters to requests.
Handle Responses
After sending a request to the API, you'll receive a response from the API or webhook.
The response will include the requested data and the result of the operation.
Parse the response using the appropriate methods provided by the HTTP library to extract the relevant information from the response body.
Error Handling
The API will return errors in case of invalid requests or server-side issues.
Implement appropriate error handling in your application to handle different HTTP status codes and error responses.
This can include displaying error messages to users or retrying failed requests.
Test and Debug
During the integration, it's important to thoroughly test your API calls and verify that you're receiving the expected data and responses.
Use tools like Postman to test the API endpoints independently before integrating them into your application. Monitor and debug any issues that may arise.
Implement in Your Application
Once you have successfully tested the API integration, incorporate the API calls into your application's codebase.
You can encapsulate API calls in functions or classes to make them reusable and modular. Integrate the API responses into your application's logic and user interface as required.
Monitor and Update
After integrating the API, monitor its performance and keep an eye on any updates or changes provided by Zum Rails by subscribing to our Status Page.
APIs can evolve, so make sure to update your integration accordingly and handle any deprecations or modifications.
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