# Mastercard Processing Credit APIs source: https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-processing-credit/documentation/index.md ## Overview {#overview} The Mastercard Processing Credit API is designed to specifically address the aspects of the card lifecycle related to credit card products. It serves as the supplementary API required for managing credit cards or credit cards with installment options issued through the Mastercard Processing Core API. ## Glossary and Conventions {#glossary-and-conventions} ### Glossary {#glossary} The glossary explains the various terms and definitions, and the acronyms used throughout this documentation. | **Term** | **Definition** | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | API | Application Programming Interface | | Cardholder | An individual who is the card user is usually also the card owner. | | CBS | The Core Banking System is the issuer's server. | | CMS | Card Management System | | Issuer | The institution, bank, or fintech that issues a card. | | JSON | JavaScript Object Notation | | JWE | JSON Web Encryption | | MP | Mastercard Processing is a processor. | | operationId | It is a unique name for a particular API operation. It is usually in the form of text expressing the name of an operation (for example, `createCard`). | | OAS | The OpenAPI Specification is the documentation of an API constructed by the Open API 3.0 standard. | | PAN | Primary Account Number | | Processor | It is a company providing services for issuers related to card issuance, card management, and processing transactions. | ### Formatting Conventions {#formatting-conventions} * When referring to our system objects to discuss more general ideas and processes, we use the names of system objects in plain text, for example, account contract. * For more technical descriptions, we use words in frames concisely with naming conventions adopted in OpenAPI Specification (OAS), for example, AccountContract. Framed words can refer to: * API objects: `Client` * Field names required in API requests: `lastName`. * Defined values you put into API requests or receive in API responses: `RENEW_D`. Some examples of non-predefined values are in plain text: `Smith`. * API methods and operationIds: `PUT`, `setCreditLimitPermanent`. * Actors: issuer, processor, payment network, personalization bureau, and cardholder are in lower-case letters. ### REST Naming Conventions {#rest-naming-conventions} | **Term** | **Definition** | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | method | An HTTP request method, such as `POST`, `GET`, or `PUT`. | | operation | A specific procedure that is invoked on an object using a method. | | endpoint | A path or address that the API exposes for your requests. A single path can support multiple operations. | | operationId | A unique name used to identify a specific operation, for example, `setCreditLimitPermanent`. | The Mastercard Processing API specification uses the following case format: | Term | Case | Example | |------------------|------------|-------------------------------------------------| | Property names | camelCase | contractId | | Path parameters | snake_case | contract_id | | Query parameters | snake_case | billing_end_date in `getContractBillingHistory` | | Path segments | kebab-case | /credit-limit | ## How It Works {#how-it-works} The Mastercard Processing Credit API has three groups of APIs: * **Credit:** It is used for credit limits management by retrieving information about credit account turnover, billing history, and accrued interests. * **Installments:** It is used for managing installments, such as creating installment plans from the balance or transaction, creating installment simulations, updating or closing installment plans, or setting a payment holiday. * **Tariff:** It is used with the possibility to set an individual interest rate on a specific credit account. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mastercard-processing-credit/uploads/how-it-works-new.png) A credit card is a popular card product with a balance kept by Mastercard Processing. A credit card is an unsecured consumer loan with a separate, standalone credit account. Payments do not have to be made in full, and balances can be carried over from month to month or revolved. A cardholder can pay anything from the minimum due amount to the full amount; overpaying the credit limit is possible. Installments are a sum of loans divided into portions and paid regularly. The total amount paid consists of principal amount and interest, and some fees may be applied. In Mastercard Processing CMS, all parameters according to installments are aggregated under the installment plan. A standard credit card, with installments or standalone, is fully managed by Mastercard Processing, which means that the balance is kept by Mastercard Processing, and the initial product setup is agreed upon during onboarding. When the credit card product is live, many parameters can be configured through the Credit and Core Mastercard Processing API. ## Next Steps {#next-steps} * Review the [Quick Start Guide](https://developer.mastercard.com/platform/documentation/getting-started-with-mastercard-apis/quick-start-guide/) to learn how to use the Mastercard Developers platform. * See [API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-processing-credit/documentation/api-basics-section/index.md) to learn more about authentication and encryption. * Review the [Use Cases](https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-processing-credit/documentation/use-cases/index.md), their implementations, and sequence diagrams. * Use the [API Reference](https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-processing-credit/documentation/api-reference/index.md) to review the OpenAPI Specification and execute each API endpoint. * Review the [Error Codes](https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-processing-credit/documentation/code-and-formats/index.md) and the formats that we use. * See [Support](https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-processing-credit/documentation/support/index.md) in case of questions or support.