Test and live environments
Learn how a private merchant API key keeps test and live payment data separate.
Your merchant API key selects both your Recuut account and one environment. A recuut_test_* key reads test Resources, contracts, payers, and transactions. A recuut_live_* key reads their live counterparts. Equivalent Resources may share a permanent integration key that cannot be changed, but their res_… and revision IDs remain environment-local.
Keep one environment key in one server-side deployment. Do not load both keys into one application process. Do not let a browser field, request header, or URL select the environment.
For a test paid retry, the payer must use Base Sepolia (eip155:84532) and test USDC. The Circle wallet preflight shows the exact faucet selection and balance check. The fixed-price exact-USDC example is gasless and does not require Base Sepolia ETH.
Never commit a wallet private key or merchant key, and never send either to a payer. Moving to live requires a recuut_live_* server key and real payer assets; changing a browser field or URL must never switch environments.