Core Concepts

Before you start building with the Flutterwave API, it helps to understand the core building blocks that power every request, response, and event in the platform.

This section introduces the fundamentals you will use across all integrations. Whether you are collecting payments, managing payouts, or building complex financial workflows, these concepts form the foundation of how your application communicates with our systems.

What You’ll Learn Here

Authentication
How your application securely identifies itself when making API requests. This covers API keys, access control, and best practices for protecting credentials.

Encryption
How sensitive data is secured during transmission and processing. Learn when encryption is required and how to apply it correctly in your requests.

Testing
How to build and validate your integration in a safe environment before going live. This includes test credentials, simulated transactions, and recommended testing workflows.

Webhooks
How your system receives real-time event notifications from Flutterwave. This section explains how to configure webhook endpoints, verify event authenticity, and handle asynchronous updates reliably.

Additional Core Concepts
Other important topics that support stable and predictable integrations, such as request structure, response handling, error formats, and environment configuration.

How to Use this Section

If you are new to the API, we recommend reading through these guides in order. They provide the context you need to integrate confidently and avoid common setup issues.

If you are troubleshooting or implementing a specific feature, you can jump directly to the relevant topic.

Next Steps

Choose a topic below to begin:

Once you are comfortable with these fundamentals, you can move on to product-specific APIs and start building your integration.