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Environments

NotaryCam provides environment-specific base URLs for API integration. Your base URL will be provided by the NotaryCam team during integration setup.

Your Base URL

Your specific {BASE_URL} will be provided by the NotaryCam team when your integration is set up. Use this URL for all API requests.

Configuration​

// JavaScript
const BASE_URL = '{BASE_URL}'; // Provided by NotaryCam during setup

const api = new NotaryCamAPI(BASE_URL, {
  partnerId: process.env.NOTARYCAM_PARTNER_ID,
  apiKey: process.env.NOTARYCAM_API_KEY,
  apiSecret: process.env.NOTARYCAM_API_SECRET
});

Environment Variables Template​

# .env
NOTARYCAM_BASE_URL={BASE_URL}
NOTARYCAM_PARTNER_ID=your-partner-id
NOTARYCAM_API_KEY=your-api-key
NOTARYCAM_API_SECRET=your-api-secret
NOTARYCAM_DEPARTMENT_ID=your-department-id
NOTARYCAM_WORKFLOW_ID=your-workflow-id

Reading From Environment Variables​

const BASE_URL = process.env.NOTARYCAM_BASE_URL;

const api = new NotaryCamAPI(BASE_URL, {
  partnerId: process.env.NOTARYCAM_PARTNER_ID,
  apiKey: process.env.NOTARYCAM_API_KEY,
  apiSecret: process.env.NOTARYCAM_API_SECRET
});

Environment Features​

  • Full API access — All endpoints are available in every environment
  • Separate credentials — Each environment uses its own API keys
  • Isolated data — Data is isolated between environments
  • Consistent behavior — The API works identically across all environments

Testing Strategy​

Development Flow​

  1. Local Development

    • Write code
    • Unit tests
    • Mock API responses

  2. Integration Testing

    • Test against your assigned environment
    • End-to-end workflows
    • Webhook testing
    • Performance testing

  3. Staging (Optional)

    • Production-like environment
    • Final validation
    • Load testing

  4. Production

    • Live transactions
    • Real users
    • Monitoring active

Credentials​

Each environment has its own set of credentials:

ItemDescription
Partner IDUnique to your environment
API KeyUnique to your environment
API SecretUnique to your environment
Department IDsMay differ per environment

Data Isolation​

  • Data is isolated between environments
  • User IDs are environment-specific
  • Transaction IDs are environment-specific

Rate Limits​

Rate limits may vary by environment and partner agreement.

Actual limits are communicated during integration setup.

Best Practices​

✅ Do This​

  • Use environment variables — Store your base URL and credentials in environment variables
  • Separate credentials — Never mix credentials between environments
  • Test thoroughly — Complete all testing before going to production
  • Monitor — Set up monitoring for your integration
  • Avoid hardcoding — Always use environment variables for URLs and credentials

❌ Avoid This​

  • Mixing environments — Don't use credentials from one environment with another's URL
  • Hardcoded URLs — Always use environment variables
  • Shared credentials — Keep environment credentials separate
  • Skipping testing — Never deploy untested code to production

Webhook Endpoints​

Configure your webhook URLs to receive event notifications:

https://yourapp.com/webhooks/notarycam

Validate incoming webhooks using your configured Authorization header:

app.post('/webhooks/notarycam', async (req, res) => {
  const authHeader = req.headers['authorization'];
  if (authHeader !== process.env.NOTARYCAM_WEBHOOK_AUTH_TOKEN) {
    return res.status(401).send('Unauthorized');
  }
  
  // Process webhook event...
});

Pre-Production Checklist​

Before going to production:

  • All features tested in your testing environment
  • Webhooks working and verified
  • Error handling implemented
  • Production credentials obtained
  • Monitoring configured
  • Logging set up
  • Security review completed
  • Team trained
  • Documentation updated
  • Rollback plan ready

Common Questions​

Q: Do I need separate credentials per environment?​

A: Yes, each environment uses completely different API credentials.

Q: Are there differences in API behavior between environments?​

A: No. The API works identically in all environments.

Q: How do I get my base URL?​

A: Your base URL is provided by the NotaryCam team during integration setup. Contact your account representative if you need it.

Next Steps​