Getting started with the Web Monetization API

The Web Monetization API is a new JavaScript browser API designed to enable the creation of a payment stream from a user's browser to a website, offering a novel way to monetize web content. The author, who was introduced to this API at a conference, explores its setup and integration into their blog, documenting the process of setting up a wallet with Uphold, acquiring a payment pointer, and embedding a monetization link tag to enable financial transactions. The API is proposed as a W3C standard, similar to services like Buy Me a Coffee, but it is integrated directly into the browser. Additionally, the author discusses using the Coil browser extension, which facilitates real-time micropayments to web-monetized sites, allowing users to support content creators. Through this exploration, the author successfully implements the API on their site and illustrates its potential to support digital creators through micropayments, while acknowledging the assistance of Alex Lakatos in understanding and applying the technology.