Choosing the right HTTP client
If you already have an HTTP client and don’t need help choosing one, you can skip this section and get straight onto obtaining an access token!
SlimPay’s API is REST compliant, meaning all communication is done over the Internet via HTTPS.
Most programming languages come with native functions that can be used to communicate using this protocol.
At the same time, some generic libraries based on these native functions have been developed to make handling HTTP requests and responses easier (such as Guzzle for PHP or Requests for Python).
Furthermore, companies (like SlimPay) often develop specific libraries / SDKs that further abstract much of the code complexity involved with HTTP communication, making your job as a developer even easier.
Additionally, there are numerous plug-and-play solutions for communicating using HTTP.
The table below illustrates these four options:
| Level | Quick description | Comment | PHP (as an example) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Native functions | You should not be using native functions unless there is no generic library (level 2) for your chosen programming language. |
fopen file_get_contents curl_ functions |
| Level 2 | Generic library | The right choice if you don't want to keep installing specific libraries for each web service you use. This may, however, require some added effort on your part to work with the specific format used by each service (unless it is supported by the library). | Guzzle Requests |
| Level 3 | Specific library for a service | The ideal choice if you want to go faster in your implementation of a specific service. It will take care of the technical layer for you, meaning you only have to implement your business logic. | HAPI Client |
| Level 4 | Plug-and-play solution | Built on top of a level 2 or 3 library, it also implements the business logic for the specific service it is designed for (CMS, webshop, etc.). | See our partners |
Please note: don’t get confused between the term HTTP client - which is the application sending HTTP requests, and the generic or specific libraries (level 2 and 3), which are also called HTTP clients.
SlimPay has developed two specific libraries (level 3) in PHP and Java to reduce the code complexity of interfacing with our API. Please refer to our HTTP client page for more details on using these libraries.
Once you’ve chosen and installed your HTTP client, you’re ready to obtain an access token!