What is the first step to generate an account link for a new user's Express account?

To generate an account link for a new user's Express account, the first step is to configure the Connect account. This step involves creating a new account for the user through Stripe's Connect platform, making it essential to set up the account before you can generate an account link.

Once the account is properly configured, you then proceed to authenticate the user, which may involve Oauth flows or similar methods based on the setup. After that, you can utilize the Create Account Link API to generate a specific URL that the user can use to access and manage their account. This process ensures that the link is associated with a valid and fully set-up account. The return_url and type parameters come into play during the link creation process, but they cannot be utilized until the account is properly configured in the first place.