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

# Quickstart

> Create an organisation API key and your first crypto checkout session.

# Quickstart

## 1. Create an organisation and API key

In the [WakaPay dashboard](https://account.wakapay.cash):

1. Become a merchant (if you are not already)
2. Create an **organisation**
3. Create an **API key** for that organisation
4. Store the **public key** and **secret** securely — the secret is only shown once

## 2. Sign every merchant request

Merchant endpoints require three headers:

| Header                | Value                                                 |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| `X-Wakapay-Key`       | Your API public key                                   |
| `X-Wakapay-Timestamp` | Unix time in **milliseconds**                         |
| `X-Wakapay-Signature` | `HMAC-SHA256(secret, "{timestamp}.{rawBody}")` as hex |

Sign the **exact raw HTTP body bytes**. Do not re-serialize JSON before hashing.

```javascript theme={null}
import crypto from 'crypto';

function signWakapayRequest({ secret, timestamp, rawBody }) {
  return crypto
    .createHmac('sha256', secret)
    .update(`${timestamp}.${rawBody}`)
    .digest('hex');
}

const timestamp = Date.now().toString();
const body = JSON.stringify({
  user: {
    id: 'cust_123',
    email: 'customer@example.com',
  },
  items: [
    {
      name: 'Pro plan',
      quantity: 1,
      unit_price: 5000,
    },
  ],
  currency: 'XAF',
  expires_in_minutes: 30,
});
const signature = signWakapayRequest({
  secret: process.env.WAKAPAY_API_SECRET,
  timestamp,
  rawBody: body,
});

const res = await fetch('https://api.wakapay.cash/checkout-sessions', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'X-Wakapay-Key': process.env.WAKAPAY_API_KEY,
    'X-Wakapay-Timestamp': timestamp,
    'X-Wakapay-Signature': signature,
    'Idempotency-Key': 'order-42',
  },
  body,
});

const session = await res.json();
// Redirect the payer to your hosted checkout (e.g. checkout.wakapay.cash)
```

Timestamps older than **5 minutes** are rejected.

## 3. Complete the flow

1. [Create a checkout session](/api-reference/create-a-checkout-session)
2. Payer [selects a crypto asset](/api-reference/select-checkout-crypto)
3. After broadcast, [bind the transaction](/api-reference/bind-on-chain-transaction)
4. [Poll status](/api-reference/get-checkout-session-status) or listen for [webhooks](/webhooks)

See also [Authentication](/authentication).