# API Reference

The Stripe API is organized around [REST](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_State_Transfer). Our API has predictable resource-oriented URLs, accepts [form-encoded](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POST_\(HTTP\)#Use_for_submitting_web_forms) request bodies, returns [JSON-encoded](http://www.json.org/) responses, and uses standard HTTP response codes, authentication, and verbs.

You can use the Stripe API in [sandboxes](https://docs.stripe.com/sandboxes.md) without affecting your live data or interacting with banking networks. The API key that you use to [authenticate](https://docs.stripe.com/api/authentication.md) the request determines whether the request runs in live mode or in a sandbox. Sandboxes support all v2 APIs. Test mode sandboxes support some [v2 APIs](https://docs.stripe.com/testing-use-cases.md#compare).

The Stripe API doesn’t support bulk updates. You can work on only one object per request.

The Stripe API differs for every account as we release new [versions](https://docs.stripe.com/api/versioning.md) and tailor functionality. Log in to see docs with your test key and data.

## Just getting started?

Check out our [development quickstart](https://docs.stripe.com/get-started/development-environment.md) guide.

## Not a developer?

Use Stripe’s [no-code options](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/no-code.md) or apps from [our partners](https://stripe.partners/) to get started with Stripe and to do more with your Stripe account—no code required.

### Base URL

```plaintext
https://api.stripe.com
```