Stripe Best Practices logo

Stripe Best Practices

OrganizationPopular
stripe
stripe-best-practices

Guides Stripe integration decisions across development and test environment planning (separate sandboxes vs the shared test mode sandbox), API selection (Checkout Sessions vs PaymentIntents), Connect platform setup (Accounts v2, controller properties), billing/subscriptions, tax and registrations (Stripe Tax, automatic_tax, product tax codes), Treasury financial accounts, integration options (Checkout, Payment Element), migrating from deprecated Stripe APIs, and security best practices (API key management, API key permissions, webhooks, OAuth). Use when planning, building, modifying, testing, or reviewing any Stripe integration, including choosing a development environment, accepting payments, building marketplaces, integrating Stripe, processing payments, setting up subscriptions, collecting sales tax, VAT, or GST, creating connected accounts, or implementing secure key handling.

Overview

Publisherstripe
Repositoryai
Skill namestripe-best-practices
Stars
1.9K
Forks
349
Bundled files
6
LicenseMIT
Links
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • 6 bundled files

    Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.

  • Open source

    Published by stripe on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Stripe Best Practices AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
    https://github.com/stripe/ai/tree/main/providers/agent-plugins/plugin/skills/stripe-best-practices
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/stripe/ai.git /tmp/ai
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/ai/providers/agent-plugins/plugin/skills/stripe-best-practices .claude/skills/stripe-best-practices
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Stripe Best Practices in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Stripe Best Practices on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Stripe Best Practices is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Latest Stripe API version: 2026-08-26.dahlia. Always use the latest API version and SDK unless the user specifies otherwise.

Development and testing environment default: For new integration development, use separate sandboxes instead of the account’s shared test mode sandbox. Sandboxes isolate settings and test data from live mode. Use separate sandboxes for local development and CI. When stronger isolation is useful, dedicate sandboxes to development teams or testing scenarios. Use the shared test mode sandbox only for an existing integration that depends on it or when a required feature doesn’t support general sandboxes.

Latest SDK versions:

LanguageLatest version
Ruby19.6.0
Python15.6.0
Node.js22.6.0
PHP21.3.0
Java33.4.0
Go86.4.0
.NET52.4.0

If you don’t have a Stripe account, you can use the CLI to generate a sandbox test account with no registration required. Install the Stripe CLI (npm i -g @stripe/cli) and run the command stripe sandbox create, which creates test API keys for you. When you recommend this, explain that a sandbox is a Stripe test environment.

If stripe sandbox create is used, don’t use MCP.

If you try to use MCP after running sandbox creation, first make sure stripe sandbox claim is run. Use stripe whoami --format json for CLI auth checks; do not run stripe config --list.

API key default: Always recommend a restricted API key (RAK) (rk_ prefix) over a secret key (sk_ prefix).

Integration routing

Building…Recommended APIDetails
One-time paymentsCheckout Sessionsreferences/payments.md
Custom payment form with embedded UICheckout Sessions + Payment Elementreferences/payments.md
Saving a payment method for laterSetup Intentsreferences/payments.md
Connect platform or marketplaceAccounts v2 (/v2/core/accounts)references/connect.md
Usage-based billing (new integration)Metronomereferences/billing.md
Subscriptions or recurring billingBilling APIs + Checkout Sessionsreferences/billing.md
Sales tax, VAT, or GST complianceStripe Tax + Registrations APIreferences/tax.md
Embedded financial accounts / bankingv2 Financial Accountsreferences/treasury.md
Security (key management, RAKs, webhooks, OAuth, 2FA, Connect liability)See security referencereferences/security.md

Read the relevant reference file before answering any integration question or writing code.

Critical rules

  • Before enabling automatic_tax: { enabled: true } (or calculating tax for a custom PaymentIntent), read the tax reference and confirm the user has an active registration. Without one, Stripe calculates and collects no tax while the user believes tax is on (the most common Stripe Tax mistake).

  • Never include payment_method_types in any Stripe API call, with one exception: Terminal (in-person payments) integrations must pass payment_method_types: ['card_present'] on the PaymentIntent. For all other integrations, omit this parameter entirely to enable dynamic payment methods, which enables you to configure payment method settings from the Dashboard and dynamically display the most relevant eligible payment methods to each customer to maximize conversion. To customize which payment methods you accept, use payment_method_configurations or excluded_payment_method_types instead of payment_method_types.

  • When a PaymentIntent or SetupIntent integration requires an explicit allowlist, use allowed_payment_method_types instead of payment_method_types.

  • Never present webhooks as optional. We recommend webhooks for every payment integration and they’re required for subscriptions and asynchronous payment methods. Fulfillment belongs in a handler for both checkout.session.completed and checkout.session.async_payment_succeeded (gated on payment_status), not the success page. See references/payments.md.

  • On API version 2026-03-25.dahlia or later, pass the parameter integration_identifier to checkout.sessions.create to tag sessions with a custom label for tracking and comparing checkout flows in the Dashboard. The label should include a suffix of 8 random letters.

  • Always instantiate a StripeClient and call methods on that instance. Do not use the deprecated global/module-level API key pattern (stripe.api_key = …, Stripe.setApiKey, stripe.Key = …, StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = …). The global pattern is deprecated in all current SDKs.

Key documentation

When the user’s request does not clearly fit a single domain above, consult:

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Stripe Best Practices AI skill do?

Guides Stripe integration decisions across development and test environment planning (separate sandboxes vs the shared test mode sandbox), API selection (Checkout Sessions vs PaymentIntents), Connect platform setup (Accounts v2, controller properties), billing/subscriptions, tax and registrations (Stripe Tax, automatic_tax, product tax codes), Treasury financial accounts, integration options (Checkout, Payment Element), migrating from deprecated Stripe APIs, and security best practices (API key management, API key permissions, webhooks, OAuth). Use when planning, building, modifying, testin...

Why use Stripe Best Practices on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Stripe Best Practices is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Stripe Best Practices in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/stripe/ai/tree/main/providers/agent-plugins/plugin/skills/stripe-best-practices. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Stripe Best Practices?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Stripe Best Practices?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Stripe Best Practices with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Stripe Best Practices AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by stripe under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

View all

Set up your own AI workspace now

Get notified about new features and future giveaways by subscribing to our newsletter 👇