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

# Environments

> Production and staging base URLs, credentials, and limits

The Way API runs in two environments:

|              | Production                              | Staging                                      |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Base URL** | `https://api.letsway.com`               | `https://api.staging.letsway.com`            |
| **Data**     | Live brands, real bookings and payments | Test brands and test data                    |
| **Use for**  | Your live integration                   | Development, testing, and the API playground |

Credentials are environment-specific, and [API keys](/authentication) carry their environment in the key itself: production keys contain `live` (`way_sk_live_...`), staging keys contain `test` (`way_sk_test_...`). A staging key does not work in production and vice versa. Ask your Way representative for a staging brand and staging API keys when you start building - you can create and cancel bookings there freely.

The same goes for the **Stripe publishable key** used in card checkouts: it comes from your Way representative (it's Way's key - payments run on Way's Stripe platform, so a key from your own Stripe account won't work), and staging and production have different ones per `paymentPlatform`.

<Tip>
  Every endpoint page in the [API Reference](/api-reference/overview) has a base URL selector, so you can run playground requests against staging with your staging keys.
</Tip>

## API access

API access is a feature that must be enabled for your brand or organization. If your credentials are correct but requests return `403 Forbidden`, ask your Way representative to enable API access.

## Rate limits

Rate-limited endpoints allow **400 requests per 60 seconds** per brand/organization, client IP, and user agent. When you exceed the limit the API returns `429 Too Many Requests` - back off and retry after a delay. If you expect sustained higher throughput, talk to your Way representative.