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docs: add GNAP authentication guide for SDK developers#787

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REN-100 wants to merge 1 commit intointerledger:mainfrom
REN-100:docs/gnap-sdk-integration-guide
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docs: add GNAP authentication guide for SDK developers#787
REN-100 wants to merge 1 commit intointerledger:mainfrom
REN-100:docs/gnap-sdk-integration-guide

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@REN-100
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@REN-100 REN-100 commented Apr 28, 2026

Summary

Adds a comprehensive GNAP (RFC 9635) authentication guide for developers building SDK clients or integrating directly with Open Payments APIs.

What's Included

  • Comparison table of GNAP vs OAuth 2.0 for SDK developers
    • Step-by-step authentication flow walkthrough (key registration through API calls)
    • HTTP Message Signatures (RFC 9421) construction details with code examples
    • Covered components requirements specific to Open Payments
    • Common pitfalls and troubleshooting tips

Motivation

Developers integrating with Open Payments frequently struggle with the GNAP authentication flow because existing documentation focuses on the protocol specification rather than practical SDK implementation. This guide bridges that gap with concrete examples and step-by-step instructions.

This is part of ongoing work on the ShujaaPay GNAP Stack, which aims to bring automated SDK generation to Open Payments through GNAP support in OpenAPI and Kiota authentication providers.

Related

  • RFC 9635 (GNAP)
    • RFC 9421 (HTTP Message Signatures)
    • RFC 9530 (Digest Fields)

Add a comprehensive guide explaining how GNAP (RFC 9635) authentication
works in the context of Open Payments, including:

- Comparison of GNAP vs OAuth 2.0 for SDK developers
- Step-by-step authentication flow (key registration through API calls)
- HTTP Message Signatures (RFC 9421) construction details
- Covered components requirements for Open Payments
- Common pitfalls and troubleshooting tips

This guide is aimed at developers building client libraries or integrating
directly with Open Payments APIs, providing the practical information
needed to implement GNAP authentication correctly.
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netlify Bot commented Apr 28, 2026

Deploy Preview for openpayments failed. Why did it fail? →

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🔨 Latest commit 58a24a4
🔍 Latest deploy log https://app.netlify.com/projects/openpayments/deploys/69f089babd7c980008f54ad7

@melissahenderson
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Will discuss this with Eng during our meeting on the 11th

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2 participants