Getting Started with ExpressTrack

Welcome to ExpressTrack! This guide will help you start tracking packages across multiple carriers with our unified API. You’ll learn how to authenticate, create trackings, and receive real-time updates.

Prerequisites

An ExpressTrack account (sign up at expresstrack.net)
Your API key (find it in your dashboard)
Basic knowledge of REST APIs

Quick Start Example

Here’s a complete example of tracking a package using our API:

# Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key
curl -X POST "https://api.expresstrack.net/trackings" 
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" 
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
  -d '{
    "tracking_number": "1Z999AA1234567890",
    "carrier_code": "ups"
  }'

Authentication

All API requests require an API key. Include it in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Core Concepts

Tracking a Package

Create a Tracking

POST /trackings

{
 "tracking_number": "1Z999AA1234567890",
 "carrier_code": "ups",  // Optional - we can auto-detect the carrier
 "metadata": {           // Optional - add your own reference data
   "order_id": "ORD123"
 }
}

Check Tracking Status
```
GET /trackings/{tracking_id}
```

Understanding Tracking Statuses

Every tracking will have one of these statuses:

Pending – Just created, not yet tracked
InfoReceived – Carrier has shipping info
InTransit – Package is moving
OutForDelivery – Will be delivered today
Delivered – Successfully delivered
FailedAttempt – Delivery was attempted but failed
Exception – Problem occurred (delay, damage, etc.)
AvailableForPickup – Ready for pickup at location
Expired – No updates for 30+ days

Real-time Updates

Setting Up Webhooks

POST /webhooks

{
 "url": "https://your-domain.com/tracking-updates",
 "secret": "your-webhook-secret"  // Optional but recommended
}

We’ll POST updates to your URL when tracking status changes:

{
 "event": "tracking_update",
 "tracking": {
   "id": "track_123abc",
   "tracking_number": "1Z999AA1234567890",
   "status": "Delivered",
   "events": [
     {
       "timestamp": "2024-03-15T14:30:00Z",
       "status": "Delivered",
       "location": "San Francisco, CA",
       "message": "Package delivered to recipient"
     }
   ]
 }
}

Next Steps

Explore our complete API reference
Check out our SDK examples
View supported carriers
Join our developer community

Rate Limits and Quotas

Free tier: 100 trackings/month
Pay-as-you-go: Starting at $0.10 per tracking
Enterprise: Contact us for volume pricing
API rate limit: 60 requests per minute

Need Help?

Developer Support: GitHub Discussions
Email: [email protected]
Documentation: docs.expresstrack.net
Status page: status.expresstrack.net