# Environments

Almond provides API access through two distinct environments to support the complete development lifecycle.

## Sandbox

The Sandbox environment provides a safe, isolated space for development and testing without affecting production systems or processing real transactions.

**Base URL:** `https://api.sandbox.almondfintech.com`

| Aspect | Details |
|  --- | --- |
| Purpose | Development, testing, and quality assurance |
| Behavior | Fully functional API with simulated settlments and payouts  (no real funds transferred) |
| Authentication | Requires Sandbox-specific credentials (separate from Production) |
| Data | Test data only; resets periodically |


**Recommended Use Cases:**

- Validate integration logic and error handling
- Run automated test suites
- Explore API functionality and experiment with features
- Conduct user acceptance testing (UAT)


## Production

The Production environment processes live transactions with real financial data. Access should only be granted after thorough testing in Sandbox.

**Base URL:** `https://api.almondfintech.com`

| Aspect | Details |
|  --- | --- |
| Purpose | Live customer settlements, payouts and real-world operations |
| Behavior | Processes actual settlements and payouts with real funds |
| Authentication | Requires Production-issued credentials |
| Data | Real customer and transaction data |


**Important Considerations:**

- Complete all testing in Sandbox before migrating to Production
- Verify API key configuration and environment-specific settings
- Implement comprehensive monitoring and alerting
- Follow security best practices for credential management
- Maintain separate configuration files for each environment


## Access To Environments

- **Access Request**
  - Contact  [**Almond Support**](https://www.almondfintech.com/contact-us) to request API credentials for Sandbox and/or Production environments.
- **Credential Provisioning**
  - Upon approval, Almond will provision unique credentials for your organization:
    - Client ID – Unique identifier for your application
    - Client Secret – Confidential key for authentication (treat as a password)
  - Credentials are delivered securely through Almond's designated channel.
- **Environment Isolation**
  - Credentials are environment-specific and cannot be used interchangeably.