Enterprise fintech backend for secure payments, transactions & merchant management in Malawi
# Payment Gateway
A comprehensive, enterprise-grade fintech backend platform for managing financial transactions, organizations, merchants, and digital payments in Malawi. Built with Node.js, Express, and MySQL, this API gateway powers the complete financial operations ecosystem.
## π Table of Contents
- Overview
- Architecture
- Core Features
- Technology Stack
- Project Structure
- Getting Started
- API Documentation
- Authentication & Authorization
- Audit Logging System
- Database Schema
- Deployment
- Contributing
## π Overview
The payment gateway is a production-ready backend platform designed to:
- Facilitate secure digital payments through multiple payment channels (Airtel Money, TNM)
- Manage merchant onboarding and account management
- Process financial transactions with comprehensive audit trails
- Provide organization-based multi-tenancy support
- Enable webhook-based integration with external systems
- Track financial activities with immutable audit logs
- Manage API keys, permissions, and access control
- Generate financial dashboards and analytics
**Use Cases:**
- Payment service providers needing transaction processing infrastructure
- Organizations requiring account management and fund transfers
- Merchants needing payment processing capabilities
- Financial institutions managing multi-tenant operations
## ποΈ Architecture
### Layered Architecture
The application follows a clean, layered architecture pattern:
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β (Express Routes - HTTP endpoint definitions) β
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β Middleware Layer β
β (Auth, Audit Logging, Rate Limiting, Validation) β
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