[jvns]

I tried to grep the code for `api.` to get a sense for all the vendors this codebase is using, and which you'd need to have relationships with to run the code. Here's what I found:

payments:

  https://api.paypal.com 
  https://api.stripe.com

tax stuff:

  https://api.taxjar.com
  https://api.vatstack.com (EU VAT)
  https://apiservices.iras.gov.sg

for iOS app (?):

  https://api.appstoreconnect.apple.com 
  https://api.storekit.itunes.apple

AI stuff:

  https://api.iffy.com  (AI content moderation)
  https://api.helper.ai (AI support)
  https://api.openai.com

other:

  https://api.easypost.com  (shipping labels?)
  https://api.sendgrid.com (email)
  https://api.pwnedpasswords.com (haveibeenpwned)
  https://api.worldbank.org (for purchasing power parity?)
  https://api.dropboxapi.com (for "upload from dropbox"?)

[ricardobeat]

That's pretty refreshing compared to the average 400 external "partners" your average online t-shirt store has.

[rafram]

Most of those are probably indirect. Same here: Stripe doesn’t issue credit cards or even process transactions itself. It partners with a half-dozen or so credit card networks, and each network partners with thousands of banks around the world.