Getting Started
Set up your environment to start integrating with Ottu's payment API.
1. Get Your API Keys
You'll need API credentials to authenticate requests. Ottu supports multiple authentication methods depending on your use case:
- API Key (Private Key) — for server-side API calls
- Basic Authentication — username and password
- Public Key — for client-side SDK usage
See Authentication for setup instructions.
2. Understand the API
Familiarize yourself with the request format, base URLs, error handling, and conventions:
- Sandbox:
https://<your-merchant>.ottu.dev - Production:
https://<your-merchant>.ottu.com
All requests and responses use JSON. See API Fundamentals for the complete reference on base URLs, authentication headers, error codes, pagination, and rate limiting.
3. Configure Your Environment
Before making API calls, ensure your Ottu dashboard is configured:
Enable Your Plugin
Ottu uses plugins to define payment types. Enable the one that matches your use case in the Admin Panel under Plugin Config:
- Payment Request — for invoices, payment links, and manual payment collection
- E-Commerce — for online store checkout flows
Activate Payment Gateway Codes
Activate the payment gateways (pg_codes) you intend to use. Ensure all desired pg_codes are set to active status in your configuration. These codes are passed to the Checkout API to determine which payment methods the customer can choose from.
Sandbox vs Production
- Sandbox (
type: sandbox) — for testing with simulated transactions - Production (
type: production) — for live payments
Ensure you're in the correct mode before initiating payments.
4. Make Your First API Call
Create a payment transaction with a single API call:
curl -X POST https://<your-merchant>.ottu.dev/b/checkout/v1/pymt-txn/ \
-H "Authorization: Api-Key your_api_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"type": "payment_request",
"pg_codes": ["your_pg_code"],
"amount": "10.000",
"currency_code": "KWD",
"customer_email": "[email protected]"
}'
The response includes a session_id and payment_url. Open the payment_url to see Ottu's checkout page.
Use the Sandbox & Test Cards to simulate payments without processing real transactions.
5. Boost Your Integration
Ottu offers multiple integration paths depending on your stack and use case:
| Approach | Best For | Get Started |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | Full control, any language | You're already here |
| Checkout SDK | Drop-in payment UI for web and mobile | Web, iOS, Android, Flutter |
Python SDK (ottu-py) | Python backend integrations | GitHub |
| Django SDK | Django projects with built-in session management, webhooks, and card operations | GitHub |
| MCP Server | AI-assisted integration with Claude Code, Cursor, or VS Code | Click MCP in the navbar |
Python SDK (ottu-py)
The ottu-py package provides an object-oriented interface to Ottu's REST APIs:
- Checkout — create, retrieve, and update payment sessions
- User Cards — list and delete saved customer cards
- Operations — refund, capture, void, and other post-payment actions
- Auto-Debit — recurring and subscription payments
Install with pip install ottu-py.
Django SDK
The Django integration extends ottu-py with Django-specific tools:
- Session management — Django model for tracking payment sessions
- Webhook handling — built-in webhook receiver with signature verification
- Template tags — render checkout forms in Django templates
See the Django Integration Guide for setup instructions.
MCP Server
The documentation site includes an MCP server that lets AI tools query Ottu's docs programmatically. Add it to your AI tool:
# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http ottu-docs https://docs.ottu.com/mcp
Or click the MCP button in the navbar for setup instructions for Cursor, VS Code, and other tools.
What's Next?
- Checkout API — Full guide to creating, retrieving, and updating payment transactions
- Checkout SDK — Drop-in UI for ecommerce and mobile apps
- Webhooks — Get real-time notifications when payment states change
- Authentication — API keys, Basic Auth, and permissions