Stripe Development & Integration

Stripe is a payment infrastructure platform providing APIs and tools for internet commerce. This skill covers the core development workflows: API authentication, payment processing, webhook handling, error management, testing strategies, and building multi-party platforms with Stripe Connect.

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be triggered when:

• Integrating Stripe payments (checkout, subscriptions, invoices)
• Setting up API keys and authentication
• Implementing webhook endpoints and signature verification
• Handling Stripe errors and decline codes
• Testing with sandbox/test cards
• Building platforms or marketplaces with Stripe Connect
• Managing connected accounts, charges, transfers, and payouts
• Using Stripe SDKs (Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, Java, PHP, .NET)
• Debugging Stripe API issues

Quick Reference

API Base URL

https://api.stripe.com

Authentication

# Secret key (server-side only)
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/charges \
  -u sk_test_xxxx:

# Or via Authorization header
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/charges \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_xxxx"

Key Prefixes

Available SDKs

Common Test Cards

Use any future expiry date, any 3-digit CVC (4 for Amex), any other values.

Create a Payment Intent (curl)

curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_intents \
  -u sk_test_xxx: \
  -d amount=2000 \
  -d currency=usd \
  -d "payment_method_types[]"=card

Connect Charge Types

Webhook Signature Verification (Node.js)

const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_test_xxx');
const endpointSecret = 'whsec_xxx';

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  const sig = req.headers['stripe-signature'];
  let event;
  try {
    event = stripe.webhooks.constructEvent(req.body, sig, endpointSecret);
  } catch (err) {
    return res.status(400).send(`Webhook Error: ${err.message}`);
  }
  // Handle event
  res.status(200).json({received: true});
});

Error Types

References

• api-keys-auth.md - API keys, authentication, security best practices, key management
• error-handling.md - Error types, exception handling patterns, test cards for errors
• webhooks.md - Webhook setup, signature verification, event handling, testing, best practices
• testing.md - Sandbox environment, test card numbers by brand/country, PaymentMethods, going live
• connect-overview.md - Connect platform design, account types, charge types, onboarding, payouts
• connect-charges.md - Direct/destination/separate charges, platform fees, fund flow
• development-essentials.md - SDKs, expanding objects, pagination, idempotency, versioning, metadata