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Before you can start to make calls to the eBay developer API, you need to sign up for an account and create a keyset. The data related to this keyset will be used to make calls with the appropriate authorisation.
This article will guide you through the process.
Creating a Developer API Account
If you don’t have one already, you’ll need to create an eBay developer API account. You can sign up for one here. It’s free to do so, and there are no eligibility requirements to make one.
This is a separate account to your eBay account, though you can use the same username/email address with the developer account. It’s advised not to use the same username/password combination as you would use for your eBay account.
Creating a Keyset
For your application to interact with the API, you need to use a keyset. The keyset contains three elements, which are required when making an API call.
Your account can hold two different types of keyset. One is for use with production apps, while the other is for use with the API sandbox. API calls for both production and sandbox are the same, albeit with different endpoints to differentiate the two.
We predominantly work with the production API, as even for testing we found the real data from this API to be more beneficial for us. We do, however, have keysets for both, and recommend you do the same.
Before you can use a production keyset, you need to either set up an account deletion request endpoint, or opt out of account request notifications. We have an article covering this here, and you can also find more information from the eBay developer page.
The gist of this is that eBay send account deletion requests to the endpoint you specify, and your server has to send the correct response. If your application will persist any eBay data, you need to set this up. It’s essentially as simple as sending a 200 response to each request, but we recommend you read our article for more information on this requirement.
Once this is complete, your production keyset will be available for use. You’ll find them on the ‘Application Keys’ page of your developer account in future.
Explaining Your Keyset
There are three elements making up your keyset, which are as follows:
- App ID: Unique ID for your application. This is also known as the ‘Client ID’.
- Dev ID: An ID linked you your eBay developer API account – this will be the same for all keysets you create.
- Cert ID: A secret key linked to your App ID. Also known as the ‘Client Secret’.
Be sure to keep these credentials secure when developing your application. Don’t store them in a publicly accessible location, and keep them out of any code pushed to code sharing sites, such as GitHub.
Creating Additional Keysets
Through the ‘Application Keys’ page, you’re able to create additional keysets for your account.
These keysets will have a brand new App ID and Cert ID, and are designed for use with a separate application. It’s recommended to create a new keyset for each application you create.
Using Your Keyset
With your keyset created, you’re ready to start using the eBay developer API. Check out our other guides for information on creating API tokens, making your first API call and creating headless applications.