NextJS + Rails API PayPal Subscription Demo

This project demonstrates a PayPal subscription system using a NextJS frontend and Rails API backend.

Reference: https://blog.ademartutor.com/p/implementing-paypal-subscriptions

Project Structure

• subscription-frontend/: NextJS frontend application
• subscription-api/: Rails API backend application

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18+)
• Ruby (v3.0+)
• Rails (v7.0+)
• PostgreSQL
• PayPal Developer Account (for API credentials and subscription plans)

Setup Instructions

1. Backend Setup (Rails API)

1. Navigate to the backend directory:

   cd subscription-api

2. Install dependencies:

   bundle install

3. Set up the database:

   rails db:create db:migrate

4. Start the Rails server:

   rails s -p 3001

2. Frontend Setup (NextJS)

1. Navigate to the frontend directory:

   cd subscription-frontend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Create a .env.local file with your PayPal credentials (as described in Environment Variables section below)

4. Start the development server:

   npm run dev

Environment Variables and Credentials

Frontend Environment Variables

Create a .env.local file in the root of the subscription-frontend directory with the following content:

NEXT_PUBLIC_PAYPAL_CLIENT_ID=your_paypal_client_id
NEXT_PUBLIC_PAYPAL_BASIC_PLAN_ID=your_basic_plan_id
NEXT_PUBLIC_PAYPAL_PREMIUM_PLAN_ID=your_premium_plan_id
NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:3001/api

For production, create a .env.production file with your production values:

NEXT_PUBLIC_PAYPAL_CLIENT_ID=your_production_paypal_client_id
NEXT_PUBLIC_PAYPAL_BASIC_PLAN_ID=your_production_basic_plan_id
NEXT_PUBLIC_PAYPAL_PREMIUM_PLAN_ID=your_production_premium_plan_id
NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://your-production-api.com/api

Backend Credentials

The Rails API application uses encrypted credentials to store sensitive information:

1. Check if config/master.key exists. If not, generate new credentials:

   cd subscription-api
   rails credentials:edit

2. Add your PayPal credentials in this format:

   paypal_client_id: your_paypal_client_id
   paypal_client_secret: your_paypal_client_secret
   api_key: your_api_key_for_receipt_downloads

3. Save and close the editor. This will encrypt your credentials.

For additional environment configuration, create a .env file in the subscription-api root:

# Database configuration (if needed)
DATABASE_URL=postgres://username:password@localhost:5432/subscription_development

# Rails environment
RAILS_ENV=development

Obtaining PayPal Credentials

1. Create a PayPal Developer account at developer.paypal.com
2. Create an app in the PayPal Developer Dashboard to get your client ID and secret
3. Set up subscription plans in the PayPal dashboard and note their IDs for your environment variables

Security Notes

• Never commit environment files (.env*) or config/master.key to your repository
• For production deployment, set environment variables on your hosting platform rather than using files
• For the Rails app, ensure RAILS_MASTER_KEY is properly set in your production environment

Features

• Subscription Plans: Basic Plan ($139/month) and Premium Plan ($199/month)
• PayPal Integration: Seamless subscription creation via PayPal
• Billing Page: View subscription details and payment history
• Receipt Generation: Background job for receipt generation

API Endpoints

• GET /api/health: Health check endpoint
• POST /api/company_subscription: Create a new subscription
• GET /api/payments: Get payment history
• GET /api/receipts/:id: Get receipt details for a payment

Deployment

Backend Deployment

1. Configure your production database in config/database.yml
2. Add your PayPal credentials to Rails credentials
3. Deploy to your preferred hosting platform (Heroku, AWS, etc.)
4. Run database migrations on the production server
5. Set up a job scheduler for background jobs (such as Sidekiq)
6. Ensure RAILS_MASTER_KEY is set in your production environment

Frontend Deployment

1. Build the NextJS app:

   npm run build

2. Deploy the built files to your preferred hosting platform

3. Set the environment variables for your production environment

Production Considerations

• Set up SSL for secure communication
• Configure CORS properly for the API
• Implement proper error monitoring and logging
• Consider implementing a centralized logging system
• Set up automated backups for the database

Testing

Backend Tests

cd subscription-api
rails test

Frontend Tests

cd subscription-frontend
npm test

Notes

This is a demonstration project and not intended for production use without additional security and feature enhancements.

The PayPal integration is using the sandbox mode for testing purposes.