Easily debug your 3DS authentication with Stripe Workbench

In this article, you'll learn how to investigate the payment process with just a few clicks on the Stripe dashboard. You'll also see how to obtain event data for testing code related to the 3DS authentication flow.

Hidetaka Okamoto
7 min readintermediate
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Overview

The article discusses how to effectively debug 3DS authentication processes using Stripe Workbench. It outlines the various features of Workbench that facilitate testing and troubleshooting payment flows, particularly focusing on the 3DS authentication flow.

What You'll Learn

1

How to use Stripe Workbench to debug 3DS authentication flows

2

How to check API error history and summaries in Workbench

3

How to simulate 3DS authentication events using Stripe CLI commands

Prerequisites & Requirements

  • Basic understanding of payment processing and 3DS authentication
  • Access to the Stripe dashboard and Workbench

Key Questions Answered

How can I debug 3DS authentication issues using Stripe Workbench?
You can debug 3DS authentication issues by accessing the Inspector tab in Workbench to view raw JSON data, API history, and Webhook event data related to the Payment Intent. This allows you to determine if 3DS authentication was executed and whether the authentication UI was shown to the user.
What features does Stripe Workbench offer for testing payment flows?
Stripe Workbench offers features such as checking API error history, viewing logs of API requests, testing API requests, and generating SDK code. It simplifies the process of testing for fraud and authentication errors, making it easier for developers to debug payment flows.
What events can I track in the Stripe Workbench Events tab?
In the Events tab, you can track events like payment_intent.created, payment_intent.requires_action, charge.succeeded, and payment_intent.succeeded. These events help you understand the sequence of actions during the payment process and identify any issues.
How do I simulate 3DS authentication flows in Stripe Workbench?
You can simulate 3DS authentication flows by using the Shell tab in Workbench to execute Stripe CLI commands. For example, entering 'stripe trigger payment_intent.requires_action' simulates the payment flow, allowing you to see the request and response data.

Technologies & Tools

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Key Actionable Insights

1
Utilize the Inspector tab in Stripe Workbench to analyze the Charge object for 3DS authentication details.
This allows you to verify if the 3DS flow was completed successfully and to check the authentication flow type, which is crucial for troubleshooting payment issues.
2
Leverage the Events tab to filter and analyze historical 3DS authentication events.
By filtering events based on type and date, you can gain insights into the frequency of 3DS authentications, helping you identify patterns or issues over time.
3
Simulate 3DS authentication events using the Shell tab to test your application without running actual transactions.
This is particularly useful for developers who want to validate their payment flow logic without impacting real customer transactions.

Common Pitfalls

1
Failing to check if the Charge object is present before debugging the 3DS authentication flow.
If the Charge object is not visible, it indicates that the payment process was not completed, which can lead to confusion when investigating authentication issues.