Management API
Lesson 3 of 26 · 15 min
What Is Management API?
The BigCommerce server-to-server API enables the secure management of a store’s cart and checkout from your own server. The Cart, Checkout, and Payments API support a headless ecommerce solution, as well as mobile apps, apps that pre-fill checkout fields, and more.
Management API vs. Storefront API
Carts and checkout can be managed by both storefront and management APIs.
- Storefront APIs are meant to run from a storefront user perspective and are restricted to actions a shopper could perform in a store.
- Management APIs are always used in a server-to-server context and have privileges to manage more details of a cart and checkout.
When to Use Management APIs?
- Cart Management API The Cart API allows you to create and modify carts. You can modify the price of individual line items and add custom items based on rules you set in your own application.
- Checkout Management API The Checkout API lets you process an order by adding details like billing and shipping addresses to existing carts, enabling headless commerce to further customize the checkout experience by externally validating and correcting customer addresses, and pre-filling checkout information to streamline the process down to just credit card entry.
- Orders Management API The Orders Management API enables you to manage and interact with orders within a BigCommerce store. This includes creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting orders, as well as managing order shipments, order shipping addresses, order transactions, and order refunds.
- Payments Management API The Payments API enables you to process payments through the store’s connected payment gateway.
Using the Cart, Checkout, and Payments APIs, you can create and complete a BigCommerce order with your own application.
