Pi Payments: Overview and Workflow

What are Pi Payments?

• Pi Payments simplify interactions with the Pi blockchain for in-app transactions.
• They ensure synchronization between your app, the Pi blockchain, and Pi servers.
• They provide a secure framework for developers, confirming that Pioneers have actually completed transactions.

Payment Flow: Key Phases

1. Creation and Server-Side Approval

   • Your app frontend creates the payment.
   • The JavaScript SDK obtains a PaymentID.
   • Your server approves the payment via the /approve API call, enabling the Pioneer to proceed.

2. Pioneer Interaction and Blockchain Transaction

   • Pioneer confirms, signs, and submits the transaction.
   • The blockchain processes the transaction.
   • Pi Apps Platform and Pi Wallet handle this phase.

3. Server-Side Completion

   • Pi Servers submit the transaction to the blockchain.
   • The SDK provides your app with a TxID (transaction ID).
   • Your server completes the payment via the /complete API endpoint, verifying the transaction's success.
   • The payment flow closes.

Payment Flow Diagram

Security

• Crucial: Complete payments within your app only after successful Server-Side Completion, indicated by a 200 response code from the /complete API call.
• Failure to do so opens your app to potential fraud by malicious users.

Developer Responsibilities

• Implementing the frontend to server communication for PaymentID and TxID.
• Using the Pi SDK's createPayment, onReadyForServerApproval, and onReadyForServerCompletion functions.
• Making the necessary /approve and /complete API calls from your server.
• Updating your app interface to reflect payment status for the Pioneer.