Interledger Wallets: A Step-by-Step Chimoney API Tutorial

Ready to dive into the world of Interledger and Chimoney? This tutorial will guide you through creating Interledger wallet addresses using Chimoney's API, making it super easy for developers of all levels to understand and implement. We'll break down each step, provide code snippets, and offer visual aids to ensure a smooth learning experience. Let's get started!

Introduction to Interledger and Chimoney

Interledger is a protocol designed for sending payments across different ledgers or payment networks. Think of it as the internet for money, allowing seamless transactions between various systems. Chimoney, on the other hand, simplifies this process by providing a robust API that interacts with Interledger. By combining these two, developers can create powerful applications that facilitate global payments with ease. Our goal is to make the Chimoney API approachable for developers of all skill levels by providing a complete, working example. By contributing to open-source learning resources, we aim to demonstrate the full capabilities of Chimoney's API. This ensures that even those new to the technology can quickly grasp and implement the concepts. We'll cover everything from creating sub-accounts to verifying transactions, so you'll have a comprehensive understanding of the entire process. This tutorial focuses on providing clear explanations, practical code snippets, and helpful visual guides to support your learning journey. We believe in learning by doing, so we'll emphasize hands-on examples that you can easily follow and adapt to your projects. Whether you're building a new payment platform or integrating global transactions into an existing application, this tutorial will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed. So, let’s dive in and unlock the potential of Interledger with Chimoney!

Prerequisites

Before we begin, let's make sure you have everything set up correctly. Here's what you'll need:

• A Chimoney Account: Sign up for a free account at Chimoney.io.
• API Key: Obtain your API key from your Chimoney dashboard. This key is essential for authenticating your requests.
• Node.js and npm: Ensure you have Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your system. You can download them from nodejs.org.
• Code Editor: Choose your favorite code editor. VS Code, Sublime Text, or Atom are all great options.
• Basic JavaScript Knowledge: A basic understanding of JavaScript will be helpful for working with the code snippets.
• .env File: Create a .env file in your project directory to store your API key and other sensitive information. This keeps your credentials secure.

Setting up your environment correctly is crucial for a smooth development experience. Make sure you have all the necessary tools and accounts ready before proceeding. This will save you time and prevent unnecessary roadblocks along the way. By following these prerequisites, you'll be well-prepared to tackle the rest of the tutorial and build amazing Interledger applications with Chimoney.

Step 1: Understanding the Interledger Integration Flow

The Interledger integration with Chimoney involves a few key steps. Let's walk through each one to understand the process:

1. Sub-Account Creation: First, you need to create a sub-account within your Chimoney account. This sub-account will be used to manage your Interledger wallets and transactions.
2. Wallet Creation: Once you have a sub-account, you can create a wallet. This wallet will hold the funds you'll be using for Interledger transactions. Think of it as a digital piggy bank.
3. Issue Payment Pointer: Next, you'll issue a Payment Pointer for your wallet. A Payment Pointer is like an email address for payments. It allows others to send money to your wallet without needing to know the underlying account details.
4. Verify Transaction: Finally, you'll want to verify that the transaction was successful. This ensures that the payment has been properly processed and credited to your wallet.

Understanding this flow is crucial for implementing Interledger with Chimoney effectively. Each step builds upon the previous one, so it's important to grasp the overall process before diving into the code. To get a deeper understanding, refer to the Interledger Integration Use Case Guide on the Chimoney website. This guide provides a detailed overview of each step and explains the rationale behind them. By familiarizing yourself with the integration flow, you'll be better equipped to troubleshoot any issues and optimize your implementation for maximum efficiency.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Environment

Before writing any code, it's essential to set up your development environment. Follow these steps to get everything configured correctly:

1. Create a Project Directory: Create a new directory for your project. You can name it something like chimoney-interledger.

2. Initialize npm: Open your terminal, navigate to your project directory, and run npm init -y. This will create a package.json file in your directory.

3. Install Dependencies: Install the necessary dependencies using npm. You'll need the dotenv package to manage your environment variables and a library like axios or node-fetch to make HTTP requests to the Chimoney API. Run the following command:

   npm install dotenv axios
   

4. Create a .env File: Create a .env file in your project directory and add your Chimoney API key. Make sure to replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key.

   CHIMONEY_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
   

5. Create an index.js File: Create an index.js file in your project directory. This is where you'll write your code.

Setting up your environment correctly ensures that your code runs smoothly and securely. The .env file is particularly important for keeping your API key safe and preventing it from being exposed in your code. By following these steps, you'll have a solid foundation for building your Interledger application with Chimoney.

Step 3: Creating a Wallet

Now, let's create a wallet using the Chimoney API. We'll use the POST /v0.2-4/multicurrency-wallets/create endpoint. Here's how you can do it:

1. Import Dependencies: In your index.js file, import the necessary dependencies:

   require('dotenv').config();
   const axios = require('axios');
   
   const apiKey = process.env.CHIMONEY_API_KEY;
   const baseUrl = 'https://api.chimoney.io/v0.2-4';
   

2. Create Wallet Function: Create a function to create a wallet. This function will make a POST request to the Chimoney API.

   async function createWallet() {
     try {
       const response = await axios.post(
         `${baseUrl}/multicurrency-wallets/create`,
         {
           // Add necessary parameters here
           phoneNumber: "+2348123456789",
           country: "NG",
         },
         {
           headers: {
             'Content-Type': 'application/json',
             'X-API-KEY': apiKey,
           },
         }
       );
   
       console.log('Wallet created:', response.data);
       return response.data;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error creating wallet:', error.response ? error.response.data : error.message);
       throw error;
     }
   }
   

3. Call the Function: Call the createWallet function to create a wallet.

   createWallet();
   

Creating a wallet is a fundamental step in the Interledger integration process. This code snippet demonstrates how to use the Chimoney API to create a new wallet and handle any potential errors. Make sure to replace the placeholder parameters with your actual data. By successfully creating a wallet, you'll be one step closer to enabling seamless Interledger transactions with Chimoney.

Step 4: Issuing a Payment Pointer

Next, we'll issue a Payment Pointer for the wallet we just created. This will allow others to send payments to your wallet using a simple address. We'll use the POST /v0.2-4/accounts/issue-wallet-address endpoint.

1. Issue Payment Pointer Function: Create a function to issue a Payment Pointer. This function will make a POST request to the Chimoney API.

   async function issuePaymentPointer(walletId) {
     try {
       const response = await axios.post(
         `${baseUrl}/accounts/issue-wallet-address`,
         {
           walletId: walletId, // The ID of the wallet you want to issue a Payment Pointer for
         },
         {
           headers: {
             'Content-Type': 'application/json',
             'X-API-KEY': apiKey,
           },
         }
       );
   
       console.log('Payment Pointer issued:', response.data);
       return response.data;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error issuing Payment Pointer:', error.response ? error.response.data : error.message);
       throw error;
     }
   }
   

2. Call the Function: Call the issuePaymentPointer function with the ID of the wallet you created in the previous step.

   createWallet()
   .then(walletData => {
       const walletId = walletData.data._id; // Assuming the wallet ID is in the '_id' field
       return issuePaymentPointer(walletId);
   })
   .catch(error => {
       console.error("Error: ", error)
   });
   

Issuing a Payment Pointer is a crucial step in enabling Interledger transactions. This code snippet demonstrates how to use the Chimoney API to issue a Payment Pointer for a specific wallet. Make sure to replace the placeholder wallet ID with the actual ID of your wallet. By successfully issuing a Payment Pointer, you'll be able to receive payments from other Interledger users.

Step 5: Verifying a Payment

Finally, let's verify a payment to ensure that it was successful. We'll use the POST /v0.2-4/payment/verify endpoint. This step is crucial for ensuring the integrity of your transactions.

1. Verify Payment Function: Create a function to verify a payment. This function will make a POST request to the Chimoney API.

   async function verifyPayment(paymentReference) {
     try {
       const response = await axios.post(
         `${baseUrl}/payment/verify`,
         {
           paymentReference: paymentReference, // The reference ID of the payment you want to verify
         },
         {
           headers: {
             'Content-Type': 'application/json',
             'X-API-KEY': apiKey,
           },
         }
       );
   
       console.log('Payment verification:', response.data);
       return response.data;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error verifying payment:', error.response ? error.response.data : error.message);
       throw error;
     }
   }
   

2. Call the Function: Call the verifyPayment function with the reference ID of the payment you want to verify.

   // Assuming you have a paymentReference from a previous transaction
   const paymentReference = 'your_payment_reference_here';
   
   verifyPayment(paymentReference);
   

Verifying payments is essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of your Interledger transactions. This code snippet demonstrates how to use the Chimoney API to verify a specific payment. Make sure to replace the placeholder payment reference with the actual reference ID of your payment. By successfully verifying a payment, you can confirm that the transaction has been properly processed and credited to your wallet.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've successfully walked through the process of creating Interledger wallet addresses using Chimoney's API. You've learned how to create wallets, issue Payment Pointers, and verify transactions. With this knowledge, you can now build powerful applications that leverage the Interledger Protocol for seamless global payments. Remember to explore the Chimoney API documentation for more advanced features and customization options. Keep experimenting and building, and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve with Interledger and Chimoney!

For further reading on Interledger, visit the Interledger Foundation website.