> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lightning.engineering/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lightning.engineering/lightning-network-tools/aperture.md).

# Aperture

Aperture is a reverse proxy that acts as a payment and authentication gateway for Lightning Network powered APIs. It can handle gRPC requests over HTTP/2 as well as REST over HTTP/1 and 2.

Aperture implements both the [L402](/the-lightning-network/l402/l402.md) as well as the [MPP](https://mpp.dev/) specifications.

Aperture receives incoming connections, verifies the validity of the [L402](/the-lightning-network/l402.md) and either forwards the request to the appropriate end point, or obtains a [Macaroon](/the-lightning-network/l402/macaroons.md) and sends it together with a Lightning invoice and the HTTP status code 402 Payment Required.

Aperture is currently used in production in Lightning [Loop](/lightning-network-tools/loop.md) and [Pool](/lightning-network-tools/pool.md).

Aperture includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that makes it convenient for agents to control Aperture natively.

{% content-ref url="/pages/QRE4vENcmsPMaDM9WAfi" %}
[Get Aperture](/lightning-network-tools/aperture/get-aperture.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/YBsPMJU3inkvDIRZ9oCD" %}
[LNC Backend](/lightning-network-tools/aperture/lnc-backend.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/SHqxiVQ44DTHj95ceiaG" %}
[LNC Mailbox](/lightning-network-tools/aperture/mailbox.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/UtDG2pNehZlppco3xKhf" %}
[Pricing](/lightning-network-tools/aperture/pricing.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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