1. Have a PayPal account
Required account: You must have a PayPal account, preferably a business account. This will allow you to receive payments and access advanced integration tools.
Access to API: To integrate PayPal into your website, you need to generate API credentials (such as Client ID and Secret), which are only available when you have a PayPal account.
2. LIVE Mode vs. Sandbox
LIVE Mode: This is the production environment used to process real transactions. You need to have it activated in order to accept payments on your website and receive money.
Sandbox Mode: This is the testing environment. You can set up your website with Sandbox to conduct tests and ensure everything is working properly before switching to LIVE mode.
Once you have your credentials in your PayPal Dashboard, go to Manage System > Payment Methods and integrate your PayPal Client ID and Secret Key. Then, enable the test mode to confirm everything works correctly, or directly activate LIVE mode.
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