Xano Stripe Integration: Converting Transactions Into User Credits

Hello Xano and Stripe enthusiasts! In today's workshop, led by Liz, our Developer Community Manager, and supported by Michael and Chris from the Xano team, we're diving into a practical and engaging example: turning Stripe transactions into user credits for a gaming platform. This comprehensive guide will walk you through setting up Stripe Checkout in Xano and linking transactions to users to convert them into usable credits in your application.

Introduction to the Project:

We're creating a backend for a gaming platform where users can buy gadgets for their avatars using credits. One credit equals ten cents, and credits expire after 180 days. Users can top up their credits through Stripe payments, and when they make a purchase, these transactions are converted into credits within the Xano platform.

Preparing Your Xano Workspace:

User and Credit Tables:

Your Xano workspace should have user and credit tables. We've added a field to the user table to track available credits and prepared other necessary tables like expired credits and gadgets.

Installing Stripe Checkout:

Navigate to the Xano marketplace and install the Stripe Checkout extension. This requires configuring your Stripe secret API key in Xano.

Setting Up Products in Stripe:

Define your credit packages as products in Stripe, setting up the pricing and capturing the unique API ID for each product.

Linking Stripe to Xano:

Stripe Sessions:

Customize the sessions table in Xano to associate Stripe transactions with specific users by adding a table reference to the user table in the session's details.

Configuring Endpoints:

Adapt the provided Stripe endpoints in Xano, ensuring each session created is linked to the current user and their transaction details.

User Authentication:

Modify the session creation endpoint to require user authentication, ensuring only logged-in users can initiate a Stripe transaction.

Handling Stripe Transactions:

After a successful Stripe payment, details are sent back to Xano:

Mapping Transactions to Users:

Edit the Stripe webhook in Xano to update the user's available credits based on the transaction amount.

Credit Management:

Develop logic in Xano to create records for new credits, handle expiration dates, and update the user’s total available credits.

Background Tasks for Expired Credits:

Creating a Background Task:

Implement a task in Xano to check for and handle expired credits, ensuring they are moved to the expired credits table and subtracted from the user's available credits.

Scheduling:

Decide how frequently this task should run, considering the necessity and efficiency of updating credit statuses.

Final Steps and API Endpoint Creation:

User Credit Check:

Create an API endpoint in Xano for the front end to verify the user's current credit balance before making purchases.

Ensuring Transaction Logic:

Build logic to prioritize the use of credits that are closest to their expiration date, ensuring users efficiently utilize their available credits.

Completing Purchases:

Implement the full flow from user credit deduction to product allocation, making sure the system updates all relevant tables upon a successful purchase.

Conclusion:

This workshop has provided you with a blueprint for integrating Stripe payments into Xano, turning financial transactions into application-specific credits. With the power of Xano and Stripe, you can offer users a seamless experience as they top up credits and spend them within your platform.

Remember, this is just the beginning. Feel free to expand, customize, and innovate based on your project needs. If you have any questions or insights, join the discussion in the Xano community or reach out through support.