Mpesa_API

PLP Academy Practice

Mpesa Daraja API Integration with Django

This guide provides a simple explanation of how to integrate the Mpesa Daraja API into a Django project. Mpesa is a popular mobile money service in Africa, and the Daraja API allows developers to integrate Mpesa payment functionalities into their applications.

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Why Integrate Mpesa Daraja API?

1. Mobile Money Payments:

   • Mpesa is widely used in Africa, making it an essential payment method for businesses targeting this region.
   • The Daraja API enables seamless integration of Mpesa payments into your Django application.

2. Real-Time Payments:

   • The API supports real-time payment notifications, allowing you to update your system immediately when a payment is made.

3. Security:

   • Mpesa Daraja API uses secure authentication methods (OAuth) to ensure safe transactions.

4. Scalability:

   • The API is designed to handle high transaction volumes, making it suitable for growing businesses.

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Requirements

To integrate Mpesa Daraja API into your Django project, you need the following dependencies:

Dependencies

Create a requirements.txt file with the following packages:

Django==4.2.7
requests==2.31.0
django-environ==0.11.2
python-dotenv==1.0.0

• Django: The web framework used to build the project.
• requests: A Python library for making HTTP requests to the Daraja API.
• django-environ: A library for managing environment variables in Django.
• python-dotenv: A library to load environment variables from a .env file.

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Steps to Integrate Mpesa Daraja API in Django

1. Set Up Your Django Project

If you haven't already, create a Django project and app:

django-admin startproject myproject
cd myproject
python manage.py startapp mpesa

Add the mpesa app to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py:

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    ...
    'mpesa',
]

2. Install Dependencies

Install the required packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root of your project to store sensitive information like your Daraja API credentials:

MPESA_CONSUMER_KEY=your_consumer_key
MPESA_CONSUMER_SECRET=your_consumer_secret
MPESA_SHORTCODE=your_shortcode
MPESA_PASSKEY=your_passkey

Load the environment variables in settings.py:

import environ

env = environ.Env()
environ.Env.read_env()

MPESA_CONSUMER_KEY = env('MPESA_CONSUMER_KEY')
MPESA_CONSUMER_SECRET = env('MPESA_CONSUMER_SECRET')
MPESA_SHORTCODE = env('MPESA_SHORTCODE')
MPESA_PASSKEY = env('MPESA_PASSKEY')

4. Create a Payment View

In mpesa/views.py, create a view to handle Mpesa payments:

import requests
import base64
from datetime import datetime
from django.http import JsonResponse
from django.conf import settings

def get_access_token():
    consumer_key = settings.MPESA_CONSUMER_KEY
    consumer_secret = settings.MPESA_CONSUMER_SECRET
    url = 'https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/oauth/v1/generate?grant_type=client_credentials'
    response = requests.get(url, auth=(consumer_key, consumer_secret))
    return response.json().get('access_token')

def initiate_stk_push(request):
    if request.method == 'POST':
        phone_number = request.POST.get('phone_number')
        amount = request.POST.get('amount')

        access_token = get_access_token()
        url = 'https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/mpesa/stkpush/v1/processrequest'
        headers = {
            'Authorization': f'Bearer {access_token}',
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
        }
        timestamp = datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
        password = base64.b64encode((settings.MPESA_SHORTCODE + settings.MPESA_PASSKEY + timestamp).encode()).decode()
        payload = {
            'BusinessShortCode': settings.MPESA_SHORTCODE,
            'Password': password,
            'Timestamp': timestamp,
            'TransactionType': 'CustomerPayBillOnline',
            'Amount': amount,
            'PartyA': phone_number,
            'PartyB': settings.MPESA_SHORTCODE,
            'PhoneNumber': phone_number,
            'CallBackURL': 'https://yourdomain.com/callback',
            'AccountReference': 'Test',
            'TransactionDesc': 'Test Payment'
        }

        response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)
        if response.status_code == 200:
            return JsonResponse(response.json(), status=200)
        else:
            return JsonResponse({'error': 'Payment failed'}, status=400)

5. Configure URLs

In mpesa/urls.py, add a URL pattern for the payment view:

from django.urls import path
from . import views

urlpatterns = [
    path('initiate-stk-push/', views.initiate_stk_push, name='initiate_stk_push'),
]

Include the mpesa app URLs in the main urls.py:

from django.urls import include, path

urlpatterns = [
    ...
    path('mpesa/', include('mpesa.urls')),
]

6. Test the Integration

Run the Django development server:

python manage.py runserver

Use a tool like Postman or a frontend form to send a POST request to http://127.0.0.1:8000/mpesa/initiate-stk-push/ with the following payload:

{
    "phone_number": "254712345678",
    "amount": "10"
}

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Conclusion

Integrating the Mpesa Daraja API into your Django project enables you to handle mobile money payments seamlessly. By following the steps above, you can set up a payment system that enhances user experience and ensures secure transactions. With Mpesa, you can tap into a widely used payment method in Africa and grow your business.

For more details, refer to the Mpesa Daraja API Documentation. watch videos on how to navigate the project here