> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developer.lyelpay.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Process your first payment in under 5 minutes.

## Before you start

You'll need:

* A Lyel Pay account — [create one here](https://dashboard.lyelpay.com/register)
* An **API key** from your dashboard → Settings → API Keys

<Note>
  No sandbox environment yet. Contact **[support@lyelpay.com](mailto:support@lyelpay.com)** to get test credentials while we set up the sandbox.
</Note>

***

## Option A — Node.js (recommended for backend)

### 1. Install the SDK

```bash theme={null}
npm install @lyel/lyel-pay-node
```

### 2. Create a payment intent

```typescript theme={null}
import { LyelPay } from '@lyel/lyel-pay-node';

const lyel = new LyelPay('YOUR_SECRET_KEY');

const intent = await lyel.paymentIntents.create({
  amount: '5000',       // amount in smallest currency unit
  currency: 'XAF',
  description: 'Order #1042 — Boutique Fatou',
  metadata: {
    orderId: '1042',
    customerId: 'cust_abc123',
  },
});

console.log(intent.sessionToken); // pass this to your frontend
console.log(intent.status);       // 'PENDING'
```

### 3. Listen for the result via webhook

When the payment completes, Lyel Pay sends a `payment.completed` event to your webhook endpoint.

```typescript theme={null}
// Express example
app.post('/webhooks/lyelpay', express.raw({ type: 'application/json' }), (req, res) => {
  const signature = req.headers['lyel-signature'] as string;
  
  try {
    const event = lyel.webhooks.constructEvent(
      req.body.toString(),
      signature,
      'YOUR_WEBHOOK_SECRET',
    );

    if (event.type === 'payment.completed') {
      const { paymentIntent } = event.data;
      console.log('Paid:', paymentIntent.id, paymentIntent.amount, paymentIntent.currency);
      // → fulfill the order here
    }

    res.sendStatus(200);
  } catch (err) {
    console.error('Webhook error:', err.message);
    res.sendStatus(400);
  }
});
```

***

## Option B — Browser (JavaScript SDK)

### 1. Install

```bash theme={null}
npm install @lyel/lyel-pay-js
```

### 2. Full payment flow

```typescript theme={null}
import { LyelPay, OPERATION_TYPE_ENDPOINTS } from '@lyel/lyel-pay-js';

const lyel = new LyelPay({
  apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
  env: 'production',
});

// Step 1 — Declare the payment
const intention = await lyel.createIntention(OPERATION_TYPE_ENDPOINTS.PAYMENT, {
  amount: 5000,
  from: 'MERCHANT_ID',
  to: 'CLIENT_ID',
  currency: 'XAF',
  description: 'Order #1042',
});

// Step 2 — Send OTP to the paying user
await lyel.initOtp({ userId: 'CLIENT_ID' });

// Step 3 — User enters OTP in your UI, you verify it
await lyel.verifyOtp({ userId: 'CLIENT_ID', otp: userInput });

// Step 4 — Execute
const result = await lyel.charge({ intentionId: intention.id });
console.log('Done ✅', result);
```

***

## Option C — React (drop-in form)

### 1. Install

```bash theme={null}
npm install react-lyel-pay-js
```

### 2. Wrap your app and drop in the form

```tsx theme={null}
import { loadLyelPay, LyelPayElements } from 'react-lyel-pay-js';

const lyelPayPromise = loadLyelPay('YOUR_API_KEY', 5000, 'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET');

export default function CheckoutPage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Complete your payment</h2>
      <LyelPayElements options={lyelPayPromise} />
    </div>
  );
}
```

The component handles the phone/password form and OTP confirmation UI automatically.

***

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/authentication">
    Understand API keys, JWT tokens, and when to use each.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Webhooks" icon="webhook" href="/guides/webhooks">
    Receive real-time events when payments complete or fail.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error handling" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/guides/errors">
    Handle errors gracefully with typed error codes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>