What base URL should be used with SFCC endpoints for sandbox instances?

Question

When attempting to make calls to the Shop and Data SFCC APIs with a sandbox store, is it the sandbox URL itself that should take the place of "https://hostname:port" in the endpoint URL? It's not super clear from the documentation. My SFCC sandbox URL is in the format "https://XXX-001.sandbox.us01.dx.commercecloud.salesforce.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Site/" (realm ID redacted here). Using that URL with the format suggested by SFCC's API docs doesn't seem to do the trick, but I'm lost as to what other URL would be used here.

Answer 1

Try using the API Explorer first

With the API Explorer, which is an SFCC-built API client UI. You should modify the URL with your sandbox URL:

1. URL- If your sandbox URL is https://helloWorld-001.sandbox.us01.dx.commercecloud.salesforce.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Site/, your OCAPI URL should be https://helloWorld-001.sandbox.us01.dx.commercecloud.salesforce.com/s/-/dw/meta/v1/rest

2. Account Manager Access Role - You need to ensure that you have the OCAPI Explorer access role in your Account Manager as well, and to the correct realm

3. Client ID - Ideally, your administrator should assign you with a API Client ID too. Else, use the default client ID for sandboxes (which is, type out 30 'a') and for password as well. NOTE: Do not use this approach for production/dev instances as it is a security vulnerability.

Once you are able to see the APIs showing, you should tinker around with the Version (i.e. 20.2 etc.) and the Site (i.e. RefArch) until you see the desired APIs in API exploerer. If this works, then you should have the necessary access and permissions to access OCAPI