> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.avraapi.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Projects & environments

> Understand project ownership, Development and Production environments, pause behavior, and Workspace connections.

A project is the security boundary for AvraAPI credentials, provider access, and UPG runtime behavior.

## Project environments

Each credential is linked to one project environment.

| Environment | Intended use | Header value |
| - | - | - |
| Development | Integration, controlled testing, and approved documentation Playground requests | `dev` or `development` |
| Production | Real production traffic from your deployed application | `prod` or `production` |

The API resolves the credential and selected environment together. A Development credential cannot authenticate a Production request by changing `X-ENV`.

## Project ownership

The user who creates a project is its technical owner. That owner retains core control even if the project is later connected to a Business Workspace for approved management work.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Technical Owner" icon="user" className="border-2 border-slate-800/60 hover:border-[#0450ff] transition-all duration-700 ease-out">
    The AvraAPI user who originally created the project.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Parent Workspace" icon="building" className="border-2 border-slate-800/60 hover:border-[#0450ff] transition-all duration-700 ease-out">
    The Personal or Business Workspace the project belongs to.
  </Card>

  <Card title="UPG Attachment" icon="layer-group" className="border-2 border-slate-800/60 hover:border-[#0450ff] transition-all duration-700 ease-out">
    An optional active UPG project slot for payments.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Pause and resume

Pausing a project blocks API use for that project. Treat `project_paused` as a non-retryable state until an authorized project owner or manager resumes the project.

## Connect a project to a Workspace

Workspace connection does not share a user account or reveal API secrets. It uses a time-limited Connect Key with explicit delegated permissions. Review [Project linking](/workspaces/project-linking) before connecting a client project.

<Info>
  For UPG, a project needs both an active gateway configuration and an active UPG project slot. A project’s ordinary parent Workspace alone does not enable payment checkout.
</Info>


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