# Quickstart

Create an account in the console, then take a payment end to end with the API. Only the money is test funds.

## 1. Create a business account

Sign up in the Fluense console — registration is email-code based (no password):

**→ [business.fluense.social](https://business.fluense.social)**

You choose your business name and country; the country sets your default currency and payout destinations. New businesses start in **sandbox** and move to live once KYB is approved — see [Sandbox & live](/environments).

## 2. Create an API key

Open **API keys** in the console and create one for the environment you want (owner or admin). The raw key is shown **once**.

Prefer to script it? The same call, with a console session token and org id:

```bash
curl -s https://api.fluense.social/apikeys \
  -H "authorization: Bearer $SESSION" \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"org_id":"'$ORG'","env":"sandbox","name":"server"}'
```

```json
{ "key": "fl_test_…", "id": "019a…", "prefix": "fl_test_ab12" }
```

## 3. Create a terminal

A terminal is a point of sale identified by its **terminal id** — encode it however your shoppers can read it: a QR code, an NFC tag, a deep link.

```bash
curl -s https://api.fluense.social/terminals \
  -H "authorization: Bearer $SESSION" \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"title":"Front counter"}'
```

```json
{ "id": "019a…" }
```

## 4. Create a checkout

```bash
curl -s https://api.fluense.social/checkouts \
  -H "x-api-key: $KEY" \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "terminal_id": "'$TERMINAL'",
    "currency": "USD",
    "items": [{"product_id":"sku-1","display_name":"Desk lamp","unit_price":8900,"qty":1,"cashback_rate":500}],
    "tax_amount": 800,
    "total": 9700,
    "order_id": "order-1001"
  }'
```

```json
{ "id": "019a…", "terminal_id": "019a…" }
```

`total` must equal `sum(unit_price x qty) + shipping_amount + tax_amount`. Creating a checkout on a reusable terminal supersedes its previous pending checkout.

## 5. The shopper authorizes

The shopper reads the terminal (QR scan, NFC tap or pay link) and confirms in the Fluense app. This is a **consumer session** call, not yours:

```
POST /checkouts/{id}/authorize      # consumer session
```

```json
{ "auth_id": "019a…" }
```

This places a 7-day hold. No money has moved yet.

## 6. Capture the charge

```bash
curl -s -X POST https://api.fluense.social/charges/$AUTH/capture \
  -H "x-api-key: $KEY"
```

```json
{
  "journal_id": "019a…",
  "mdr_fee": 154,
  "buyer_amount": 0,
  "deferred_buyer_amount": 225,
  "recommender_amount": 75,
  "recommender_id": null,
  "recommenders": []
}
```

Capture is **idempotent**: retrying the same charge returns the same transaction reference and cashback. See [Charges](/charges).

## 7. Receive webhooks

```bash
curl -s -X PUT https://api.fluense.social/orgs/$ORG/webhook \
  -H "authorization: Bearer $SESSION" \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"url":"https://example.com/fluense/webhook"}'
```

```json
{ "url": "https://example.com/fluense/webhook", "secret": "whsec_…" }
```

Verify `x-fluense-signature` on every delivery. See [Webhooks](/webhooks).