- How do I install the michaelgatuma/laravel-kopokopo package?
- Install it with Composer using composer require michaelgatuma/laravel-kopokopo. After installation, publish the package configuration file if one is provided so you can supply your Kopokopo credentials and callback URLs. Then add the required environment variables to your .env file and clear your config cache. Because the package targets Laravel 8, confirm your app's PHP and Laravel versions satisfy its Composer constraints before installing.
- Does this package only work with Laravel 8?
- The package is described as a Laravel 8 integration, so that is the version it is built and tested against. Installations on newer Laravel releases may work but are not guaranteed, since service provider and dependency signatures can change between major versions. Check the composer.json constraints on the GitHub repository and run your test suite before upgrading Laravel in a project that depends on this package.
- How do I configure my Kopokopo API credentials in Laravel?
- Credentials are typically supplied through environment variables referenced by the package's config file, so you never hard-code secrets in source control. Set your Kopokopo client ID, client secret, and any required base or token URL values in .env, then publish and adjust the config file if the package ships one. Run php artisan config:clear after changes so Laravel picks up the new values. Keep separate credential sets for sandbox and production environments.
- How do I initiate an M-Pesa STK Push with this package?
- The package exposes a fluent API for building a payment request, where you specify the amount, the customer's phone number, a reference, and the callback URL Kopokopo should notify. You call the relevant method to send the request to Kopokopo and receive the API response, which includes the identifiers you need to track the transaction. Handle the response in a try/catch block so failed or rejected requests do not break your checkout flow.
- How do I receive and handle Kopokopo payment notifications in Laravel?
- You register a callback URL with Kopokopo, then create a route and controller in your Laravel app that accepts the incoming POST payload. Inside the handler, validate and persist the transaction details, then return a successful HTTP response quickly so Kopokopo does not retry unnecessarily. Because notifications can be delivered more than once, use the transaction or reference ID to make your handler idempotent. Queue any slow follow-up work such as sending receipts or updating dashboards.
- Can I test Kopokopo payments without using real money?
- Yes, use Kopokopo's sandbox or test credentials rather than your live keys, and point the package at the sandbox base URL if it is configurable. In automated tests, fake outgoing HTTP requests with Laravel's HTTP client fakes or mock the package's client so no network calls are made. Assert that your code handles both successful and failed payment responses. Keep sandbox credentials in a separate env file such as .env.testing.
- Is this package safe to use in production?
- It can be used in production, but you are responsible for the surrounding security controls, including storing credentials in environment variables, serving your callback route over HTTPS, and verifying that notifications genuinely come from Kopokopo. Treat every callback payload as untrusted input and validate it before writing to your database. Add idempotency keys or unique constraints on transaction references, and log requests so you can reconcile payments later. Test thoroughly against the sandbox before switching to live credentials.
- How do I check the status of a Kopokopo transaction or query a payment?
- Kopokopo provides transaction status and query endpoints, and the package's transaction handling features let you look up the state of a payment by its identifier. Store the transaction ID or reference returned when you initiate the STK Push so you can query it later. For critical flows, reconcile using both the notification payload and a status query rather than relying on the callback alone. Always handle pending, failed, and reversed states explicitly in your application logic.
- What are the alternatives to this package for Kopokopo or M-Pesa in Laravel?
- You can call the Kopokopo REST API directly with Laravel's HTTP client or Guzzle, which gives full control but means writing your own authentication and error handling. Kopokopo also publishes its own SDKs, and there are other Laravel packages that wrap Safaricom's M-Pesa Daraja API if you only need STK Push. Evaluate maintenance activity, Laravel version support, and test coverage before choosing a community package over a direct integration.
- Who maintains this package and is it actively updated?
- This is a community package published under the michaelgatuma vendor name, so it is maintained by an individual developer rather than an official Kopokopo team. Check the GitHub repository for recent commits, open issues, tagged releases, and the supported Laravel version range before adopting it. If you depend on it long term, pin a known-good version in composer.json and be prepared to fork or patch it yourself. Review the license and changelog as part of your dependency evaluation.