> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.quickshops.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Checkout API — Quickshops Headless REST API

> POST /checkout/session — creates a Stripe-hosted checkout session from a cart ID and returns a single-use redirect URL.

The Checkout endpoint converts a cart into a Stripe-hosted checkout session. You call this endpoint from your server, receive a URL, and redirect the customer's browser to that URL to complete payment. This route requires a valid API key.

<Note>
  The checkout URL is single-use and expires after a short period. If a customer abandons checkout and returns to your storefront, generate a new checkout session rather than reusing the old URL.
</Note>

***

## Create checkout session

Creates a Stripe checkout session for the specified cart and returns a redirect URL.

```
POST /checkout/session
```

### Body parameters

<ParamField body="cartId" type="string" required>
  The ID of the cart to check out. The cart must belong to the same store as the API key.
</ParamField>

### Request

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.quickshops.app/v1/checkout/session \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer qk_your_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "cartId": "cart_01j..." }'
```

### Response

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "url": "https://checkout.stripe.com/c/pay/cs_live_..."
  }
}
```

<ResponseField name="data.url" type="string" required>
  A Stripe-hosted checkout URL. Redirect the customer's browser to this URL to complete payment. The URL is single-use and expires after a short period.
</ResponseField>

### Redirecting the customer

Call this endpoint from your server-side handler (API route, server action, or loader), then return the URL to the browser for the redirect. Never call it directly from client-side code — your API key must stay on the server.

Here is an example server-side handler that creates the session and returns the URL:

```typescript theme={null}
// Server-side only (API route, server action, or loader)
import { qs } from "@/lib/quickshops";

const { data } = await qs.checkout.checkoutCreateSession({ cartId });
const url = data.url;

// Return the URL to your frontend so it can redirect the customer
return { checkoutUrl: url };
```

Then in your client-side code, redirect using the URL returned from your server:

```javascript theme={null}
// Client-side — after receiving the URL from your server endpoint
window.location.href = checkoutUrl;
```

After the customer completes or cancels payment, Stripe redirects them to the success or cancel URL configured in your Quickshops dashboard.