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Clover API Essential Guide

Aug 11, 20246 minute read

What type of API does Clover provide?

Clover uses a REST API. The key points are:

  1. Clover has a REST API that allows developers to query information about Clover merchants, such as inventory, orders, and payments.

  2. The Clover REST API documentation explicitly refers to it as a "REST API" multiple times.

  3. The API uses standard REST conventions like:

    • JSON for request and response entities
    • HTTPS for secure communication
    • OAuth 2.0 for authentication
    • Endpoint URIs with query parameters
  4. The documentation provides details on how to use the Clover REST API, including environment base URLs, authentication, and making API calls.

  5. There is no mention of Clover offering GraphQL, SOAP, or other API types in the provided search results. The focus is entirely on their REST API.

In summary, Clover provides a REST API for developers to integrate with their platform.

Does the Clover API have webhooks?

Webhook Availability

Yes, the official Clover API does have webhooks available.

Webhook Configuration

  • Webhooks are tied to Clover apps. You need to create a Clover app to use webhooks.
  • The webhook configuration is done at the app level.

Event Types

  • Order-related events are available. Webhooks can notify you when orders are created or updated.
  • The webhooks provide order IDs for created/updated orders, but not full order details.

Key Considerations

  1. To get full order details after receiving a webhook notification, you need to make additional API calls using the order IDs provided by the webhook.

  2. There are ways to retrieve multiple items by ID in a single request, which can help optimize API usage when fetching order details.

  3. If you don't need real-time data synchronization, a polling approach might be simpler to implement than webhooks, as it doesn't require creating and publishing an app.

  4. Creating a private app for webhook usage still requires going through an approval process, which can take up to 8 weeks.

Best Practices

  1. When using webhooks for order notifications, implement a system to fetch full order details using the provided order IDs.

  2. Consider using batch API requests to retrieve multiple orders at once if you receive notifications for several orders simultaneously.

  3. If real-time updates aren't critical, consider using a polling approach with date filtering to periodically fetch new or updated orders.

  4. When implementing a polling solution, use order IDs to deduplicate data and handle potential overlaps between polling intervals.

Rate Limits and other limitations

Based on the search results provided, here is a summary of the API rate limits for the Clover API:

Key Points

  • Clover implements rate limits for API usage [2][4].
  • The rate limits are applied at the app level, not per individual merchant or customer [2].

Rate Limit Details

  • If an app has 1,000 customers using it, all 1,000 customers share the same rate limit for that app [2].
  • Exceeding the rate limit will result in a 429 Too Many Requests error [2][5].

Best Practices

  • Developers should be aware of these rate limits when designing their applications to work with the Clover API [2][4].
  • It's important to implement proper error handling for 429 errors in case the rate limit is exceeded [5].

Additional Information

  • The specific numerical values for the rate limits are not provided in the search results.
  • Clover provides documentation on API usage and rate limits, which developers should consult for more detailed information [5].

Summary

The Clover API implements rate limits at the application level, meaning all customers using a single app share the same rate limit. This is an important consideration for developers, especially those with apps that have a large number of users. While the exact numerical limits are not provided in the search results, Clover offers documentation on API usage and rate limits that developers should refer to for more specific information. Proper error handling for rate limit exceeded scenarios (429 errors) is recommended.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, I can answer your question about the most recent version of the Clover API. However, it's important to note that the search results don't explicitly mention a specific version number for the Clover API.

Key Points:

  1. The Clover API is a REST API that provides various endpoints for different services.

  2. Clover offers different base URLs for their API in sandbox and production environments.

  3. The API is available for different regions, including North America (US and Canada), Europe, and Latin America.

API Environments and Base URLs:

Sandbox Environment:

  • Platform API: https://sandbox.dev.clover.com
  • Tokenization service API: https://token-sandbox.dev.clover.com
  • Ecommerce service API: https://scl-sandbox.dev.clover.com

Production Environment:

  • Platform API (North America): https://api.clover.com
  • Platform API (Europe): https://api.eu.clover.com
  • Platform API (Latin America): https://api.la.clover.com
  • Tokenization service API: https://token.clover.com
  • Ecommerce service API: https://scl.clover.com

Summary:

While the search results don't provide a specific version number for the Clover API, they do indicate that the API is actively maintained and updated. The most recent version of the Clover API would be the one currently accessible through these base URLs. To get the most up-to-date information about any recent changes or updates to the API, it would be best to consult the official Clover API documentation or contact their support team directly.

It's also worth noting that Clover provides an API reference that developers can use to explore the various endpoints and functionalities of the API. This reference is likely to reflect the most current version of the API available.

How to get a Clover developer account and API Keys?

To get a developer account for Clover and create an API integration, you can follow these steps:

  1. Visit the Clover Developer Portal: Go to the Clover Developers website at https://www.clover.com/developers.

  2. Sign up for a Developer Account: Look for a "Sign Up" or "Create Account" button on the developer portal. Click on it to start the registration process.

  3. Provide Required Information: Fill out the registration form with your personal and business details. This may include:

  • Your name
  • Email address
  • Company name (if applicable)
  • Password
  1. Agree to Terms and Conditions: Read and accept Clover's developer terms and conditions.

  2. Verify Your Account: You may need to verify your email address by clicking on a link sent to your registered email.

  3. Log in to Your Developer Account: Once your account is created and verified, log in to the Clover Developer Portal.

  4. Create a New App: Look for an option to create a new app or project. This is typically where you'll start your API integration.

  5. Configure Your App: Set up your app's details, including name, description, and the specific API permissions it will need.

  6. Obtain API Credentials: Clover will provide you with API credentials (such as API keys or tokens) that you'll need to authenticate your requests when using the Clover API.

  7. Start Developing: With your account set up and API credentials in hand, you can now start developing your integration using Clover's API documentation and resources.

What can you do with the Clover API?

Based on the search results provided, here is a list of data models that can be interacted with using the Clover API, along with what is possible for each:

Merchant Information

  • Query relevant information about Clover merchants
  • Access inventory data
  • Access order data
  • Access payment data

Inventory

  • Query and manage inventory items

Orders

  • Create and manage orders
  • Get order details

Payments

  • Process payments
  • Get payment details

Customers

  • Work with customer data (implied from the ability to save cards for future transactions)

Gift Cards

  • Create gift card tokens
  • Use the Gift Card API

Recurring Payments and Subscriptions

  • Configure payment plans
  • Configure subscriptions

Ecommerce

  • Generate card tokens
  • Create charges
  • Get charge details
  • Create pre-authorizations
  • Capture charges
  • Accept payments and tips
  • Refund payments
  • Save cards for future transactions
  • Use fraud prevention tools
  • Set soft descriptors
  • Use 3-D Secure for e-commerce transactions

ACH TeleCheck

  • Create ACH tokens
  • Accept checks by telephone
  • Use internet check acceptance

Hosted Checkout

  • Create hosted checkout sessions
  • Configure webhooks for hosted checkout

Iframe Integrations

  • Use Clover-hosted iframes
  • Customize iframe elements

It's important to note that the specific capabilities and data models available may vary depending on the region (United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America) and the particular integration type being used. Additionally, when working with these data models, it's crucial to follow security best practices, such as using server-to-server requests and securely storing cached data.