Integrating Lipa na Mpesa in a React and Node.js Web Application

Mobile money has become a popular way of conducting transactions in many parts of the world, and one of the most widely used platforms is Mpesa in Kenya. Integrating Lipa na Mpesa (pay with Mpesa) into a web application can provide an easy and convenient way for users to make payments.

In this article, we will explore how to integrate Lipa na Mpesa into a web application built using React and Node.js. This will involve using the Mpesa API to initiate and complete transactions from within the application.

Step 1: Set up the Mpesa API

The first step is to set up the Mpesa API by creating an account on the Safaricom developer portal. Once registered, you will need to create an app and obtain the necessary credentials to access the API. This will include a consumer key, consumer secret, and a short code for your organization.

Step 2: Install the necessary packages

Next, you will need to install the necessary packages for making API requests in your React and Node.js application. For React, you can use a package like axios to make HTTP requests to the backend, while for Node.js, you can use a package like express to create a web server.

Step 3: Create the payment flow

Once the API is set up and the necessary packages are installed, you can start creating the payment flow in your application. This will involve creating a form for users to enter their payment details, and then making a POST request to the Mpesa API to initiate the transaction.

Step 4: Handle the callback

After the user initiates the payment, the Mpesa API will send a callback to your application to notify you of the transaction status. You will need to create a route in your Node.js backend to handle this callback and update the payment status in your database.

Step 5: Display the payment status

Finally, you can display the payment status to the user in your React application. This can be done by retrieving the payment status from your backend and showing it to the user on a confirmation page.

By following these steps, you can successfully integrate Lipa na Mpesa into your React and Node.js web application, providing a seamless payment experience for your users.