Study Guide

API Credentials
Establishing API Credentials
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48 March 2008 PayPal Certified Developer Program Study Guide
Establishing API Credentials
The two authentication methods have separate processes for establishing API credentials.
API Signature
To establish credentials using an API signature as the authentication method, follow these
steps:
1. Log in to a PayPal Premier or Business account.
2. In the top navigation area, click the Profile subtab.
3. Under the Account Information header, click the API Access link.
4. Click Request API Credentials.
5. Under Credential Type, click the API Signature radio button.
6. Click the agreement checkbox, and click Submit.
7. Record the API username and API password values.
8. The API signature is the Signature Hash value. Record this value, and store it in a
document in a secure location.
The developer must take the appropriate steps to protect the API signature values; these values
should be stored in a secure location on the web server.
To use the Sandbox to test an application, register a separate set of API credentials and use a
second API signature. The same API signature cannot be used for both the Sandbox and live
servers.
API Certificate
To establish credentials using an API certificate, follow these steps:
1. Generate the API certificate.
2. Encrypt the API certificate.
3. Install the API certificate in the Windows Certificate Store.
These steps are required regardless of whether the API certificate will be used with the PayPal
Sandbox or with live PayPal. Each step is detailed below.