Test mode and live mode
cTpeWay has two modes. They are two separate places, not a setting on your data.
| Test mode | Live mode | |
|---|---|---|
| Funds | Test coins with no value. | Real funds. |
| Networks | Public test networks. | The real networks. |
| API key starts with | ctp_test_sk_ |
ctp_live_sk_ |
| Data | Its own invoices, addresses, payments, webhook endpoints and keys. | Its own, never mixed with test data. |
| Payment simulator | Available. | Not available. |
The key decides the mode
Section titled “The key decides the mode”There is no “mode” parameter in the API. A request is a test request or a live request because of the key that signs it:
| Prefix | What it is |
|---|---|
ctp_test_sk_ |
Secret key, test mode. |
ctp_live_sk_ |
Secret key, live mode. |
ctp_test_pk_, ctp_live_pk_ |
Publishable keys for the browser. See API keys and domains. |
whsec_ |
The signing secret of a webhook endpoint. |
Moving your integration from test to live is a change of key and nothing else in your code.
What is separate
Section titled “What is separate”Everything that belongs to you exists once per mode:
- invoices, reusable deposit addresses, payments and settlements;
- API keys and webhook endpoints, each with its own signing secret;
- master wallets and addresses. Your test addresses are on test networks.
An object created with a test key cannot be read with a live key, and the other way round.
Objects and events carry a boolean livemode. It is false for everything from test mode, so a webhook handler can tell the two apart.
What test mode does for real
Section titled “What test mode does for real”Test mode is not a mock. It runs on public test networks with the same rules as live mode:
- payments are detected and confirmed on the test network;
- the 0.5% platform fee and the network fees are charged, in test coins;
- a token deposit is Held when the test master wallet is short of native coin, and released when you top it up.
So you can watch a deposit go from Pending to Held to Released before any real money is involved. See Settlement and the platform fee.
You do not need test coins to begin. The payment simulator creates payments with no network and no faucet. See Testing.
In the dashboard
Section titled “In the dashboard”- The Test / Live switch is in the top bar on every page.
- In test mode the dashboard carries a coloured band, and every list, key and invoice shows a Test badge.
- A new account starts in test mode, with a checklist that ends with going live.
- An account moved from cTpeWay v1 opens in live mode, with test mode one click away.
On the checkout page
Section titled “On the checkout page”A test invoice shows a banner, Test invoice — no real funds, names the test network on every network label, and links to a faucet.
Domains in test mode
Section titled “Domains in test mode”In live mode, webhook URLs and checkout redirect URLs must be on a domain you have verified. In test mode localhost and hostnames ending in .test are accepted as well, so you can develop on your own machine. See API keys and domains.
Going live
Section titled “Going live”When your integration works in test mode, follow Going live.