> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lab4pay.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> This guide walks you through your complete integration journey—from environment setup to processing your first payment.

<Info>
  Follow the steps in order, or jump to specific sections if you're already familiar with parts of the integration.
</Info>

## Integration Journey

<Steps>
  <Step title="Setup">
    Prepare your environment and registration
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pair Terminal">
    Initialize terminal pairing from your backend
  </Step>

  <Step title="Process Payment">
    Complete your first transaction
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Metadata">
    Attach custom data to transactions (optional)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Track Status">
    Monitor transactions via APIs or Webhooks
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go Live">
    Deploy to production with confidence
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What you'll need before you start

Before continuing, make sure you have:

* Access to a Pay-Connect environment (test or production)
* Backend connectivity to Pay-Connect APIs
* Network access to payment terminals
* A clear choice of integration type:
  * API Integration
  * App2App Integration (Android)
  * Hybrid (API Integration + App2App Integration)

## Prerequisites

<Accordion title="Techical Prerequisites">
  Before you begin, ensure you have:

  * **Environment Access**: Pay-Connect test or production environment
  * **API Credentials**: Provided by your Pay-Connect administrator
  * **Network Access**: Your application can reach payment terminals over the network
  * **Terminal Hardware**: Payment terminal powered on and ready for pairing
  * **Backend System**: Server or backend application to handle API requests
</Accordion>

<Warning>
  **Important**: Always test in a sandbox environment before going to production.
</Warning>

## Quick Start Guide

Follow these guides in sequence to complete your integration:

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Terminal Pairing" icon="handshake">
    Learn how to pair payment terminals with your backend system using the pairing API.
  </Card>

  <Card title="First Payment" icon="money-bill">
    Process your first transaction and understand the payment flow from start to finish.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transaction Patch" icon="pen-to-square">
    Enhance transactions by attaching custom metadata like order IDs and customer information.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transaction status & Webhooks" icon="bell-ring">
    Track transaction outcomes in real-time using status APIs and webhook notifications.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Next Steps

Start with **Terminal Pairing**, then proceed to the [**API Reference**](/api-reference/lab4pay-api) for direct integration, or alternatively continue with [**App2App Integration**](/pay-connect/app2app-integration/introduction), depending on your implementation needs.