> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.reveel.id/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.reveel.id/api-references/integration-best-practices-old.md).

# Integration Best Practices - old

This guide outlines best practices for developers integrating with the Reveel PayID API. Following these principles will help ensure a reliable, secure, and scalable integration.

***

### 1. **Authentication Best Practices**

* Always include the following headers in every request:

  ```
  Authorization: Bearer your-api-key
  Accept: application/json
  Content-Type: application/json  // For POST/PUT/DELETE
  ```
* Store API keys securely — never expose them in frontend code or public repositories.
* If your backend supports it, rotate API keys periodically and use environment variables for injection.

***

### 2. **Use Idempotent Requests**

* **Avoid duplicate actions** by ensuring critical POST operations (e.g., route creation, transaction initialization) are idempotent on your side using:
  * **Idempotency keys** (UUID v4 stored per action)
  * **Client-side tracking** of previously submitted data
* While the Reveel API does not currently enforce idempotency keys natively, it’s a good client-side practice to avoid accidental duplicates (e.g., resubmitting forms or retrying after a timeout).

***

### 3. **Graceful Error Handling**

* All errors follow a consistent format:

  ```json
  {
    "success": false,
    "message": "Descriptive error",
    "error": "Field-level validation or server error details"
  }
  ```
* Parse the response safely and display human-readable messages to users, especially for known issues like:
  * `PayID already taken`
  * `Route conflict detected`
  * `Invalid token/network combination`
* Fallback to generic messages (e.g., "Something went wrong") only when necessary.

***

### 4. **Retry Logic & Backoff**

* Implement **retry with exponential backoff** for transient errors like `500` or timeouts.
* Do **not retry** on:
  * `400 Bad Request`
  * `401 Unauthorized`
  * `409 Conflict`
* Consider adding retry safeguards:
  * Max 3 retries
  * Backoff (e.g. 1s, 2s, 4s)

***

### 5. **Pagination & Rate Control**

* For endpoints like `/user/list` and `/transact/get-activity`, always:
  * Respect `page` and `pageSize` parameters
  * Implement pagination UI or auto-scroll loading
  * Cache recent pages where possible to reduce API calls

***

### 6. **Monitoring & Logging**

* Log all outgoing API requests with:
  * Timestamp
  * Endpoint
  * Response status
  * Any error messages received
* This helps in debugging user issues and diagnosing performance bottlenecks.

***

### 7. **Avoid Over-fetching**

* Fetch data only when needed (e.g., avoid calling `/get-routes` on every page load).
* Use local state caching, revalidation, or SWR-style hooks for React apps.

***

### 8. **Prepare for Changes**

* While current endpoints do not include version prefixes, breaking changes (when introduced) will be versioned via the base URL, e.g.:

  ```
  https://api.reveel.id/v2/
  ```
* Stay subscribed to dev notifications and changelogs if provided.

***

### 9. **Content-Type Issues**

To avoid incorrect HTML responses:

* Always set the `Accept: application/json` header.
* Never omit the `Content-Type: application/json` header for POST/PUT/DELETE.
* Add logic to detect unexpected content types in responses.

***

### 10. **Security Considerations**

* Throttle requests per user or per IP to prevent abuse.
* Never log sensitive data like private keys or full API keys.
* If integrating wallets, validate addresses and perform checks against phishing or scam lists.


---

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