# Developer Center overview
URL: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000001001-developer-center-overview
Canonical: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000001001-developer-center-overview
Markdown: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000001001-developer-center-overview.md
Updated: 2026-06-18

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.starshipit.com/llms.txt).

> Understand Starshipit's API options, account setup, and the integration workflows they support.

Use the Developer Center to choose the right Starshipit API, understand the shared setup steps, and find the workflow or reference page you need before you start building.

## Understand the API options

Starshipit has two API areas. Most shipping integrations use the Starshipit API. If your account uses the Starshipit WMS add-on and you are building warehouse-specific flows, use the WMS API.

| API | Domain | What it is for | Use it when |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Starshipit API | `https://api.starshipit.com` | Shipping and fulfilment workflows in Starshipit. | You need to import orders, update orders, generate labels, get rates, manifest shipments, use webhooks, or receive tracking updates. |
| Starshipit WMS API | `https://wms.starshipit.com` | Warehouse workflows for accounts using the Starshipit WMS add-on. | You need to work with WMS jobs, products, inventory, locations, purchase orders, picking, packing, putaway, replenishment, stocktake, or stock movement workflows. |

Keep shipping and WMS work separate when you design the integration. The account setup is shared, but the endpoint domains and request shapes are different.

## How Starshipit fits into an integration

Starshipit is the shipping system that connects your orders to courier services, labels, manifests, tracking, notifications, rates, rules, sender addresses, and packages.

An integration usually connects another system to Starshipit. That system might be an ecommerce platform, ERP, WMS, middleware tool, marketplace, 3PL system, checkout, or custom app.

## Set up the right Starshipit product first

Both API families use the configuration in the account your key belongs to. Before testing an integration, confirm the account has the setup your workflow depends on.

For Starshipit API shipping workflows, start with [How to set up Starshipit](/articles/getting-started/intro-to-starshipit/how-to-set-up-starshipit), then confirm:

- Sender addresses.
- Couriers and courier services.
- Package settings.
- Shipping rules.
- Checkout rates settings, if you are using the checkout rates endpoint.
- Plain Label courier setup, if you want a mock carrier-style workflow for label testing.

For Starshipit WMS workflows, confirm the account has the WMS add-on enabled and has the warehouse setup your flow depends on, such as products, locations, inventory, jobs, users, purchase orders, picking, packing, or stock movement processes.

If setup is incomplete, the request can authenticate successfully but still return no records, fail validation, or produce an unexpected workflow result.

## Choose your workflow

Most Starshipit API integrations start with one of these jobs:

- Import orders, print labels in the Starshipit UI, then update the source system with tracking.
- Import or update orders, print labels outside the Starshipit UI, then return tracking details.
- Retrieve checkout rates or delivery service options from Starshipit.
- Let Starshipit import orders, then print labels externally by API.
- Update orders before printing labels.

Product Catalogue endpoints and webhooks can support these workflows when you need product enrichment or status updates, but most integrations should start with the order, label, rates, and tracking flow they are trying to solve.

## Start here

1. Read [Authentication and access](/articles/developer-center/getting-started/authentication-and-access) to confirm which credentials and headers you need.
2. Run [Quickstart: Import a test order](/articles/developer-center/getting-started/quickstart-import-a-test-order) to confirm your first safe write request.
3. Read [Testing guidance](/articles/developer-center/getting-started/testing-guidance) before you move beyond test data.
4. Read [Starshipit API fundamentals](/articles/developer-center/starshipit-api/api-fundamentals) or [WMS API fundamentals](/articles/developer-center/starshipit-wms-api/wms-api-fundamentals) before you design retries, pagination, and error handling.
5. Choose the API section closest to the job you are building.
6. Use the [Starshipit API reference guide](/articles/developer-center/starshipit-api/starshipit-api-reference-guide) or [WMS API reference guide](/articles/developer-center/starshipit-wms-api/wms-api-reference-guide) to confirm endpoint details.

## What this center includes

- Practical guides for common Starshipit API workflows.
- WMS API fundamentals and reference entry points for warehouse workflows.
- Quickstarts for order import, label printing, and checkout rates.
- Shared setup guidance for credentials and request structure.
- Testing, rate limit, error, retry, webhook, and compatibility guidance.
- Troubleshooting steps for common request, rate limit, and payload issues.