Liability accounts reveal what a company owes — be it credit card balances, accounts payable, or loans. Credits increase liability accounts because they signify an obligation or debt incurred by the company. Debits decrease liability accounts, indicating payments or reductions in what the company owes.
Accounts payable is a credit account, as it's a liability account. Debits and credits are used in double-entry accounting — debits represent an increase in assets and decrease in liabilities, while credits represent an increase in liabilities and a decrease in assets.