Payment gateway
The secure checkout bridge that carries payment details from your site to the system that asks the customer's bank for approval.
See it
What it is
Your online checkout needs a secure path from the card form to the payment system. That path is the payment gateway: it collects payment details, sends an authorization request toward a processor or acquirer, and often adds encryption, tokenization, and fraud checks.
Reach for a hosted gateway or provider-supplied fields when accepting cards online so raw card numbers bypass your servers. Many payment service providers bundle the gateway, processing, vault, and merchant account behind one API, so you may never buy it separately.
Gateway, processor, and payment service provider are roles, not always separate companies. A gateway can deliver an approved response, but approval is not settlement and does not mean the funds have reached your bank.
Ask AI for it
Integrate Stripe Payment Element (or Adyen Drop-in) so raw card numbers and security codes never reach my server. Tokenize the payment method in the browser, create a Stripe PaymentIntent or Adyen payment session on the backend, handle required authentication, verify signed webhooks, and show pending, approved, and failed states without treating the browser redirect as proof of payment.