# Usage guidelines

This section provides important guidelines on how to use the **Mews Channel Manager API**. Unless specified otherwise, the guidelines apply to both the Mews side of the API and the Channel Manager side of the API. For information on the partner journey and on the certification process, see [Your integration journey](/channel-manager-api/your-journey.md). For information about individual endpoints or operations, see [API Operations (Mews)](/channel-manager-api/mews-operations.md) and [API Operations (CHM)](/channel-manager-api/channel-manager-operations.md).

> #### Terminology
>
> We use the term *Property* to describe the hotel, hostel or other enterprise; we use the term *Space* to refer to a hotel room, dormitory bed or other type of bookable space, and *Space Type* to refer to the category of *Space* offered by the *Property*. Although typically a room in a hotel, this could be for example a squash court in a sports facility. For a full description of all the terms used in the API, see the [Mews Glossary for Open API users](/getting-started/glossary.md).

## Contents

* [Authentication](/channel-manager-api/guidelines/authentication.md)\
  Details of how API Operation requests are authenticated.
* [Requests](/channel-manager-api/guidelines/requests.md)\
  Details of how to make API Operation requests.
* [Responses](/channel-manager-api/guidelines/responses.md)\
  Details of API Operation responses, including error messages.
* [Environments](/channel-manager-api/guidelines/environments.md)\
  A description of the different environments available and how to access them.
* [Compliance](/channel-manager-api/guidelines/compliance.md)\
  Information about PCI compliance.


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