# Environments and sandbox Multigate has two environments. Build and test everything in the **sandbox**, then switch the base URL and credentials to go live. | | Sandbox | Production | |---|---|---| | Base URL | `https://api-gateway-uat.mmacs.io/platform` | `https://api-gateway.mmacs.io/platform` | | Dashboard | [uat.multigate.app](https://uat.multigate.app) | [multigate.app](https://multigate.app) | | Money | Simulated. Nothing reaches a real bank account. | Real. | | Credentials | Sandbox API key and client secret (from the sandbox dashboard) | Production API key and client secret (from the production dashboard) | | IP allow-list | Its own list, enforced | Its own list, enforced | | Webhook URL | Registered in the sandbox | Registered in production | | Funding your accounts | [Simulate an inflow](#simulate-an-inflow) | Real bank transfers to your virtual accounts | Every path in these docs is relative to the base URL. For example, getting the current user in the sandbox is: ```text GET https://api-gateway-uat.mmacs.io/platform/user-service/api/v1/users/current-user mp-api-key: ``` A key works only in the environment whose dashboard generated it, and its start tells you which one: sandbox keys start with `mgk_sandbox_` and production keys with `mgk_live_`. :::tip[Keep the base URL in configuration] Read the base URL and credentials from configuration, for example the environment variables `MG_BASE_URL`, `MG_API_KEY` and `MG_CLIENT_SECRET` used throughout these docs (set up in the [Quickstart](03-quickstart.md#before-you-start)). Going live is then a configuration change, not a code change. ::: ## How the sandbox differs from production :::danger[Read this before you test] The sandbox doesn't behave exactly like production. A few checks are **off** (FX balance checks, NGN beneficiary account checks, disposable email domains), some jobs are much **slower** (payout results, customer reviews), and payout outcomes come from **test banks**, sometimes at random. Every difference, with what to do about it, is on [Sandbox vs production](05-sandbox-vs-production.md). ::: | | Sandbox | Production | |---|---|---| | Incoming payments | Only through [Simulate an inflow](api:simulateInflow). | From payers' banks. The simulate endpoint does nothing. | | Payouts | Full flow (validation, screening, approvals) against test banks and simulated partners. Results can take 15 minutes or more. | Paid to real accounts, usually within seconds of the bank answering. | | Checks that are off | FX balance check on lock, NGN account check when saving a beneficiary, disposable email domains. | All on. | | Webhooks and emails | Sent, with the same format and signing. Emails go to real addresses. | Sent. | | IP allow-list | Enforced (its own list). | Enforced (its own list). | | Data | Separate from production. Nothing carries over when you go live. | | ## Simulate an inflow Fund a sandbox account, or test your inflow handling, by pretending a payer sent money to one of your virtual accounts. Use [List accounts](api:listAccounts) and pick an account whose `status` is `active`. Use one of its virtual account numbers from `fundingDetails` (the numbers payers would send to). The account must belong to your business or one of your active customers. The [Quickstart](03-quickstart.md) stores it in `MG_VIRTUAL_ACCOUNT_NUMBER`. ```bash curl -s -X POST "$MG_BASE_URL/client-service/api/v1/webHook/publishInflow" \ -H "mp-api-key: $MG_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d "{\"accountNumber\":\"$MG_VIRTUAL_ACCOUNT_NUMBER\",\"amount\":1000000,\"currency\":\"NGN\"}" ``` ```json { "message": "inflow initiated" } ``` `amount` is in major units (`1000000` is 1,000,000.00 NGN). `currency` is required but ignored: the credit always uses the account's own currency. The response contains no reference. The response only means the inflow was queued. It is then screened (checked against Multigate's compliance rules) and credited like a real one. In the sandbox this usually takes a few minutes; there is no fixed time. Then: - your webhook receives `account` / `inflow`; - your business contact receives a "Payment Received" email; - the balance ([Get an account balance](api:getAccountBalance)) and statement of the account show the credit, minus any collection fee (a fee on money received) configured for your business. A simulated inflow has no sender bank or sender account number (`null` in the webhook), and its `paymentReference`/`sessionId` is a generated ID the call doesn't return. The sender name is the account's own name, and the narration looks like `MULTIGATE--`. :::warning[Check the response body, not only the status] If the account isn't active yet, the endpoint still answers `200`, but with an error body: `[{"errors":{"message":"account has not been approved"}}]`. Wait for the `account_opened` webhook before simulating inflows into a new account. ::: :::caution[Check the credited amount] For some NGN and GHS sandbox accounts, depending on the partner bank behind them, the simulated amount is read as minor units (kobo or pesewas) and credited at one hundredth: `1000000` credits 10,000.00. Compare `amount` in the webhook with what you sent, and send 100 times the amount if needed. ::: In production the endpoint answers `200` but does nothing, so keep it out of your production code paths entirely. ## Test checklist Before you ask for production access, run each of these in the sandbox: - [ ] Call the API with your sandbox API key, [rotate it](06-authentication.md#rotate-an-api-key) to a second key without errors, and handle a `401` from a revoked key ([Authentication](06-authentication.md#when-a-request-returns-401)). - [ ] Fund an account with a simulated inflow and process the `inflow` webhook ([Collections](../04-products/03-collections.md)). - [ ] Create a payout, and process `transfer_completed` and `transfer_failed` ([Payouts](../04-products/05-payouts.md)). - [ ] Retry a payout with the same `uniqueRequestId` and confirm nothing is paid twice ([Idempotency](../02-concepts/03-idempotency.md)). - [ ] Trigger and handle errors: insufficient balance, invalid account, unknown bank ([Errors](../02-concepts/02-errors.md)). - [ ] Reject a webhook with a tampered body ([Verifying signatures](../03-webhooks-and-emails/03-verifying-signatures.md)). Then read [Sandbox vs production](05-sandbox-vs-production.md) and work through the [go-live checklist](07-go-live-checklist.md).