Setting Up Your Development Environment

Welcome to Unblock! To start building with our API, understanding your development environment setup is key. This guide will walk you through the essentials to get your environment ready for seamless integration.

Understanding Unblock Environments 🌍

Unblock operates with distinct environments to support you throughout your integration journey, from initial exploration to full production deployment. Using separate environments ensures a safe and controlled development process.

We provide two primary environments:

Sandbox Environment 🏖️: This is your playground for development and testing.
- Simulated Data: The Sandbox environment uses simulated data and does not interact with real payment rails or real money. This allows you to experiment, test different scenarios, and build your integration without financial risk.
- Test Blockchains: It interacts with test networks of supported blockchains. You can even "mint" simulated crypto tokens for testing purposes. Learn how to mint test tokens.
- KYC/KYB Simulation: You can simulate KYC and KYB states in the Sandbox. This is invaluable for testing different user onboarding flows and compliance scenarios. Explore KYC or KYB Simulation.
- Regular Resets: Please note that all data in the Public Sandbox environment is periodically reset. Do not store critical persistent data here.
- Public and Private Sandbox: Unblock offers both a Public and Private Sandbox, both accessed via the same base URL: https://sandbox.getunblock.com. The key difference lies in the API Keys and the environment's configuration:
  - Public Sandbox: Immediately accessible with a publicly available API Key, ideal for initial exploration and quick testing.
  - Private Sandbox: A dedicated, isolated environment for your team. Contact us to set up a Private Sandbox tailored to your needs, mirroring your intended production setup.
Production Environment 🚀: This is the live environment for processing real transactions with real money.
- Real Fiat and Crypto: The Production environment interacts with real payment rails and mainnets of supported blockchains. Only use real funds and crypto tokens in this environment.
- Permanent Data: Data in the Production environment is permanent and auditable.
- No Simulation: KYC and KYB states cannot be simulated in Production. Only real user data is processed.
- Pre-Production and Live Stages: The Production environment has two stages:
  - Pre-Production: A limited production environment with a transaction volume cap, allowing you to test your integration with real funds in a controlled manner before going fully live.
  - Live Production: Your final, fully operational environment with no transaction limits.

Accessing Your API Keys 🔑

Authentication with the Unblock API is primarily done using API Keys. These keys identify your Merchant account and are essential for making API requests.

Sandbox API Keys:
- Public Sandbox API Key: A publicly available API Key is provided for the Public Sandbox, allowing you to quickly start exploring the API. You can find it in our documentation.
- Private Sandbox API Key: Upon completing the Onboarding Form and setting up a Private Sandbox, you will receive your private Sandbox API Key via a secure channel.
Production API Keys:
- Pre-Production & Live API Keys: Once your commercial agreement is finalized and your Pre-Production testing is signed off, your Production API Keys will be activated. These keys are used for both Pre-Production and Live Production stages.

Important Security Note: Treat your API Keys as confidential credentials. Never expose them in client-side code, public repositories, or insecure channels. API Keys are intended for backend server-side use only.