> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://manual.kotanipay.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Development Guide

> Development best practices for Kotani Pay API v3 integration

<Info>
  **Prerequisites**: - Valid Kotani Pay integrator account - API credentials
  (JWT token and API key) - Development environment setup
</Info>

Follow these guidelines for effective development with Kotani Pay API v3.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set up your environment">
    Start with the sandbox environment for development and testing:

    ```bash theme={null}
    BASE_URL=https://sandbox-api.kotanipay.com
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Authenticate your requests">
    Include your JWT token in the Authorization header:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X GET "https://sandbox-api.kotanipay.com/health" \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-token>" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json"
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Handle responses properly">
    All Kotani Pay API responses follow this structure:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "success": true,
      "message": "Operation completed successfully",
      "data": {
        // Response data here
      }
    }
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Error Handling

Kotani Pay API uses standard HTTP status codes and consistent error format:

```json theme={null}
{
  "success": false,
  "message": "Error description",
  "data": {}
}
```

Common status codes:

* `200` - Success
* `400` - Bad Request
* `401` - Unauthorized
* `404` - Not Found
* `500` - Internal Server Error

## Rate Limiting

Be mindful of API rate limits to ensure smooth integration:

* Implement exponential backoff for retries
* Cache responses when appropriate
* Use webhooks instead of polling for status updates

## Testing

Use our comprehensive test endpoints:

<Card title="Health Check" icon="heart" href="/v3/api-reference/system/health">
  Verify API connectivity and service status
</Card>

## Going to Production

When ready to deploy:

1. Update base URL to production: `https://api.kotanipay.com`
2. Replace sandbox credentials with production credentials
3. Configure production webhook endpoints
4. Enable monitoring and logging