This chapter follows Stripe cheat sheet. It closes the Stripe series.
API key (publishable, secret, restricted)
Credentials for Stripe’s API. Publishable keys (pk_) load Stripe.js; secret and restricted keys (sk_, rk_) stay on the server. See Stripe API keys and the Node.js SDK.
Customer
Stripe’s record of a buyer or organization—email, default payment method, metadata. Your app stores cus_... alongside your user id. See Customers in Stripe.
Product
Something you sell (name, description). Billing terms live on Prices. See Products and prices in Stripe.
Price
Immutable billing terms: amount, currency, one-time or recurring interval. Checkout line items reference price_.... See Products and prices in Stripe.
Checkout Session
Hosted or embedded checkout flow; recommended entry for many web payments. See Accepting payments with Stripe Checkout.
PaymentIntent
Object tracking one payment attempt, statuses, and SCA. Used with the Payment Element. See Custom payment forms with the Payment Element.
PaymentMethod
Saved card, wallet, or other instrument attached to a Customer. See Customers in Stripe.
SetupIntent
Collects and saves a PaymentMethod without an immediate charge. See Customers in Stripe.
Subscription
Recurring billing linking a Customer to Prices; generates Invoices. See Subscriptions in Stripe.
Invoice
Bill for a subscription cycle or one-off charge; payment success or failure emits webhooks. See Subscriptions in Stripe.
Event and webhook
Stripe notifies your server with signed HTTP POSTs when objects change. See Webhooks in Stripe.
Connect
Platform product for paying connected accounts and marketplaces. See Stripe beyond payments.
Test mode and sandbox
Isolated environments with test keys and fake money. See What is Stripe?.
Idempotency key
Unique string on POST requests so retries do not duplicate objects. See Stripe API keys and the Node.js SDK.
Client secret
Short-lived token (client_secret on PaymentIntent or SetupIntent) passed to Stripe.js—never equivalent to your secret API key. See Custom payment forms with the Payment Element.
On-session and off-session
Whether the customer is present to complete authentication during payment. See Customers in Stripe.
Customer Portal
Hosted self-service for payment methods, invoices, and cancellation. See Subscriptions in Stripe.