Dev account to access/test Channel Points endpoints?

Hi there,

I’m a dev with some experience with the Twitch API/TMI, working casually with some Twitch Partner streamer. With the introduction of the new Channel Points API endpoints we wanted to develop some new rewards & interactions. However, since Channel Points are restricted to affiliates/partners, it’s hard to develop/test such things using my own regular account. Yes, I know I could ask the streamer for the corresponding token, but then I’d have to develop/test everything while he’s offline, since adding/removing/redeeming channel points rewards while he’s streaming would obviously disturb the general experience (and it’s not that professional).

So my question is: is there any kind of “developer” account that can be requested with these kind of extended priveleges? (i.e. access to channel points), or in general any other way to test channel points integrations without an affiliate/partner account?

Thanks in advance

There is not any form of sandbox, or developer account. Your options are either to get affiliate yourself (which is quite easy as the requirements are so low), or do what most of us do and just test using mock data as all Twitch endpoints have examples that include response data which you can use and edit to test your functions.

Thanks for the reply.

It’s a pity there are no better options. Having to get affiliate is kind of an overkill imo, because even if the reqs are low, I’m just not a streamer (and I’d even say I would feel bad if I reach affiliate before another person who really wants to start a streamer career do). Data samples are fine, and of course always the starting point when developing, but they shouldn’t be the way to test a complete automated pipeline just because developers don’t have access to some core part.

The new endpoints clearly open paths to creative developments and products, and having them behind this wall is somewhat… weird, to say the least.

2 Likes

If you search UserVoice I’m sure there’s a feature request for a dev account or sandbox that you can upvote https://twitch.uservoice.com/forums/310213-developers

Honestly though, the docs are sufficient for the vast majority of cases, even for things behind restricted features such as channel points, bits, or subscriptions, for many of us 3rd party developers to successfully create/test/launch apps on Twitch for years. If you have an app that is polling for channel points redemptions, or an EventSub subscription, it doesn’t really matter if it’s mock data generated by Twitch for a dev account, or mock data generated by yourself, as in the end it’d just be a simulated redemption passed to your handler functions.

I understand and respect your opinion. However, all the examples you’ve given are more on the “passive/listening” part. I was referring more to new use cases when you actively create/update/remove channel point rewards, and update their statuses (fulfilled/cancelled) based on some logic. Using mock data just for triggering whatever event is okay, but in this scenario you can’t simply test creating/updating new custom rewards, for example.

That said, I’m sure you’ve worked on this longer than me, and better than me (no irony at all). And for sure there are workarounds and all that. Personally, I haven’t had this issue until now either, but this time it just feels more blocking than in the past. As I said, even though obviously possible, testing pre-production shouldn’t rely entirely on mock data imho.

But it is what it is :slight_smile:

For reference: feature request in UserVoice for those interested in upvoting: https://twitch.uservoice.com/forums/310213-developers/suggestions/41270905-provide-a-way-for-developers-to-test-features-whic

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.