Core Concepts

Core Concepts of the BCB API:

Unified Financial Platform: The BCB API acts as a single point of access for managing traditional (fiat), financial assets and operations. This means you can interact with different types of accounts and services through a consistent interface.

Resources: The API revolves around key resources representing different financial entities and functionalities. Common resources you'll likely encounter include:

Accounts: Representing both fiat and BLINC accounts. These will have attributes like ID, account number, currency and balance.
Payments: Representing the initiation and management of financial transfers. This includes details about the sender, receiver, amount, currency, and status.
Beneficiaries: Representing the entities you can send payments to. Managing beneficiaries (adding, viewing) is a core function.
Transactions: Representing records of financial activity on your accounts, including deposits, withdrawals, and transfers.

Actions/Operations: The API allows you to perform various actions on these resources using standard HTTP methods (GET, POST):

Retrieving Information (GET): Fetching details about accounts, transactions, beneficiaries, etc.
Creating New Entities (POST): Initiating payments, adding beneficiaries, and potentially creating new accounts or orders.

Asynchronous Operations (Likely): Given the nature of financial transactions, some operations (especially payments) might be processed asynchronously. This means that an initial API request might not immediately reflect the final status. You'll likely need to use mechanisms like:

Webhooks: Configuring your application to receive real-time notifications about the status changes of your operations.

Security and Authentication: Access to financial data and operations is highly sensitive. The BCB API will employ robust security measures, including:

Authentication: Verifying the identity of the calling application (e.g., using API keys, OAuth 2.0).
Authorization: Ensuring that the authenticated application has the necessary permissions to perform the requested actions on specific resources.
Secure Communication (HTTPS): Encrypting all data transmitted between your application and the BCB API.
Data Formats (Primarily JSON): API requests and responses will be structured using the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format, which is a standard for web-based APIs.

Error Handling: The API will provide mechanisms for indicating errors. This will typically involve:

HTTP Status Codes: Using standard HTTP status codes (e.g., 4xx for client errors, 5xx for server errors) to indicate the outcome of a request.
Error Response Bodies: Providing structured JSON responses containing specific error codes and messages to help you understand and resolve issues.
Rate Limiting: While strict rate limits are not enforced, API usage will be continuously monitored for potential abusive behavior to ensure fair access and prevent disruption.

By grasping these core concepts, you'll have a solid foundation for understanding how to interact with the BCB API and integrate its financial services into your applications. Remember to always refer to the specific API documentation for detailed information on each endpoint, its parameters, and the expected responses.