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Get started with the E-Commerce API

This guide will walk you through making your first API call to the E-Commerce API. You’ll register a new user account and receive a JWT token that you can use to access protected endpoints.
1

Set up your environment

Ensure you have the API running locally or have access to a deployed instance. The default base URL is:
http://localhost:5000/api
You’ll need an API key to make requests. Check your .env file for the API_KEY value, or contact your API administrator.
2

Register a new user

Create a new user account by sending a POST request to the /register endpoint. This endpoint requires three fields: name, email, and password.
curl -X POST http://localhost:5000/api/register \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key-here" \
  -d '{
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "password": "securePassword123"
  }'
All requests must include the x-api-key header. Requests without a valid API key will be rejected with a 403 error.
3

Receive your JWT token

If registration is successful, you’ll receive a response with a JWT token that expires in 8 hours:
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "User Registered",
  "data": {
    "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
  }
}
Save this token securely. You’ll need it to access protected endpoints like user profile, cart, and orders.
If the email is already registered, you’ll receive an error:
{
  "status": "error",
  "message": "Email is already registered"
}
4

Make an authenticated request

Now that you have a JWT token, you can access protected endpoints. Let’s retrieve your user profile:
curl -X GET http://localhost:5000/api/user \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key-here" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your-jwt-token-here"
Expected response:
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Success fetching user data",
  "data": {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "profile_photo": null,
    "created_at": "2026-03-03T10:30:00.000Z",
    "updated_at": "2026-03-03T10:30:00.000Z"
  }
}
Protected endpoints require both the x-api-key header AND the Authorization header with your JWT token.
5

Explore products

Try browsing the product catalog. This endpoint only requires an API key (no JWT token needed):
curl
curl -X GET "http://localhost:5000/api/product?page=1&limit=10" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key-here"
The response includes paginated products with metadata:
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Success fetching products data",
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "Product Name",
      "slug": "product-name",
      "description": "Product description",
      "price": 99.99,
      "stock": 50,
      "variant": [{"size": "M"}, {"size": "L"}],
      "img_urls": ["uploads/image1.jpg"],
      "category_name": "Electronics"
    }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "currentPage": 1,
    "totalPages": 5,
    "totalItems": 47,
    "itemsPerPage": 10
  }
}

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What’s next?

Now that you’ve made your first API calls, explore more features:

Authentication guide

Learn more about API keys, JWT tokens, and security best practices

API reference

Explore all available endpoints including cart, orders, and reviews

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Common errors

This error occurs when the x-api-key header is missing or incorrect.Solution: Ensure you’re sending the correct API key in the x-api-key header with every request.
This error occurs when accessing protected endpoints without a valid JWT token.Solution: Include your JWT token in the Authorization header as Bearer <token>.
This error occurs when required fields are missing from your request body.Solution: Check the endpoint documentation and ensure all required fields are included in your request.
This error occurs when trying to register with an email that already exists.Solution: Use the /login endpoint instead, or register with a different email address.

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