Transition to Daraja

Moving from Sim-Pesa to Safaricom's production Daraja API is designed to be seamless. Because Sim-Pesa mimics Daraja's asynchronous callback model, your core business logic remains unchanged.

What Stays the Same

• The Callback Payload: The JSON structure of the webhook is identical. Your callback handler will work without modification.
• Asynchronous Flow: The process of receiving a CheckoutRequestID and waiting for a webhook is preserved.
• Result Codes: Sim-Pesa uses the real Daraja result codes (0, 1, 1032, 1037, etc.).

What Changes

1. Base URLs

Update your API base URLs from localhost to Safaricom's endpoints:

• Sandbox: https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke
• Production: https://api.safaricom.co.ke

2. Payload Field Names

Sim-Pesa uses a simplified JSON schema for local testing. Daraja requires specific CamelCase field names.

Sim-Pesa Field	Daraja Equivalent
short_code	BusinessShortCode
phone_number	PhoneNumber / PartyA
amount	Amount
external_reference	AccountReference
callback_url	CallBackURL

3. Authentication

Sim-Pesa uses a simplified Bearer token. Daraja requires a full OAuth2 flow using a Consumer Key and Consumer Secret to generate a Password (Base64 encoded string of ShortCode + PassKey + Timestamp).

4. Callback URL Accessibility

While Sim-Pesa can reach http://host.docker.internal, Daraja requires a publicly accessible HTTPS endpoint with a valid SSL certificate.

Pre-Production Checklist

1. Switch Endpoints: Update all API URLs to the Daraja Sandbox.
2. Update Field Names: Map your internal models to Daraja's required field names (e.g., BusinessShortCode).
3. Implement Passkey Logic: Ensure your code correctly generates the M-Pesa Password and Timestamp.
4. Verify Webhook Security: Implement IP whitelisting or signature verification for incoming Daraja callbacks.

TIP

Always perform a full test cycle in the official Daraja Sandbox after transitioning from Sim-Pesa. Sim-Pesa ensures your logic is sound, but the Sandbox ensures your credentials and network configuration are correct.