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

# Idempotency

> Safely retry requests without double-charging your customers.

Idempotency is a core feature of the PaveWay API that ensures you don't accidentally perform the same operation twice. This is especially critical for payment-related operations like creating a [PaymentIntent](/api-reference/payments/create-intent) or a [Refund](/api-reference/payments/refunds).

## How it Works

To make an idempotent request, include the `Idempotency-Key` header with a unique identifier for that specific operation.

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.pavewaygroup.com/v1/payment-intents \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: CREATED_AT_ORD_12345" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_..." \
  ...
```

1. **First Request**: PaveWay processes the request and saves the response.
2. **Subsequent Requests**: If you send another request with the same `Idempotency-Key`, PaveWay bypasses execution and returns the **exact same response** as the first request (including the status code).

## Expiration

Idempotency keys are automatically expired after **24 hours**. After this window, a request with a previously used key will be treated as a new, fresh request.

## Best Practices

* **Use Unique Identifiers**: A common pattern is to use a combination of the merchant order ID and the timestamp or attempt count.
* **Failures & Retries**: If you receive a network error (e.g., Timeout), retry the request with the **same** key. If you receive a validation error (400), fix the payload and use a **new** key.
* **Scope**: Idempotency keys are scoped to your Secret Key. Keys used in your **test** environment do not collide with **live** environment keys.

> \[!IMPORTANT]
> Idempotency only applies to `POST` and `PATCH` requests. `GET` and `DELETE` requests are idempotent by nature (they don't change state or their repeated application has no extra effect).