generated: '2026-07-20'
method: searched
source: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference
docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/guides/platform-fundamentals
summary: >-
  Cross-cutting request/response semantics for the Method API: bearer API-key auth,
  a dated version header, idempotency keys on all POSTs, page/cursor pagination, a
  standard success/error response envelope, resource metadata, and request-id tracing.
authentication:
  style: bearer-api-key
  header: Authorization
  format: 'Bearer sk_...'
  version_header: Method-Version
  ref: authentication/methodfi-authentication.yml
idempotency:
  supported: true
  header: Idempotency-Key
  scope: all POST requests
  key_format: any unique string up to 255 characters (V4 UUID recommended)
  retention: >-
    Method stores the status code and body of the first request for a given key and
    replays it for subsequent requests with the same key, including 500 errors.
  unavailable_behavior: >-
    Returns HTTP 503 with sub_type IDEMPOTENCY_UNAVAILABLE when the idempotency store
    is unavailable; retry later or fall back to non-idempotent processing.
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/idempotency
pagination:
  style: page-and-cursor
  request_params:
  - page            # 1-indexed page number
  - page_cursor     # resource id to start/end from; mutually exclusive with page
  - page_limit      # default and maximum 100 (OpenAPI param default 10)
  - from_date       # ISO 8601 YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive
  - to_date         # ISO 8601 YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive
  response_envelope_field: data
  response_headers:
  - Pagination-Page
  - Pagination-Page-Count
  - Pagination-Page-Limit
  - Pagination-Total-Count
  - Pagination-Page-Cursor-Prev
  - Pagination-Page-Cursor-Next
  ordering: chronological (earliest created first)
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/pagination
expansion:
  supported: true
  style: expand[]
  description: >-
    Many resources expose expandable sub-resources (e.g. account balance, payoff,
    payment_instrument, card_brand, latest_verification_session) that can be inflated
    inline rather than returning only the id.
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/expanding
metadata:
  supported: true
  field: metadata
  constraint: arbitrary JSON object, must serialize to under 1KB
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/metadata
request_tracing:
  response_header: Request-Id
  description: Every response returns a Request-Id header for tracing/support.
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/request-id
versioning:
  style: dated-header
  header: Method-Version
  current: '2026-03-30'
  policy: backwards-compatible additive changes; breaking changes ship as a new dated version
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/versioning
  ref: lifecycle/methodfi-lifecycle.yml
error_envelope:
  format: method-envelope
  is_rfc9457: false
  shape: '{ success: false, data: { error: { type, code, sub_type, message } }, message }'
  request_error_types: [INVALID_AUTHORIZATION, INVALID_REQUEST, API_ERROR]
  resource_error_field: error
  ref: errors/methodfi-problem-types.yml
rate_limiting:
  signaled_via: HTTP 429 with sub_type TOO_MANY_REQUESTS
  window: 60-second rolling window, per API key
  retry_guidance: wait >=60s, exponential backoff with jitter, combine with Idempotency-Key
  ref: rate-limits/methodfi-rate-limits.yml
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/rate-limiting