> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.clipping.cc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Your first API call in under 5 minutes.

## 1. Create an API key

Go to [clipping.cc/account](https://clipping.cc/account), open **API keys** and
click **create key**. The secret (`ck_live_…`) is shown **only once** — copy it
and store it somewhere safe. If you lose it, revoke it and create another.

<Warning>
  The key carries access to your account and draws from your balance. Treat it
  like a password: never expose it in frontend code or public repositories.
</Warning>

## 2. Make sure you have balance

Every call draws from the balance of the account that owns the key. With no
balance, the API responds `402 Payment Required`. Add coins at
[clipping.cc/balance](https://clipping.cc/balance). See [billing](/en/billing)
for pricing.

## 3. Make your first call

Verify the key by calling `/v1/accounts/me`:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl https://api.clipping.cc/v1/accounts/me \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer ck_live_YOUR_SECRET"
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
  const res = await fetch("https://api.clipping.cc/v1/accounts/me", {
    headers: { Authorization: "Bearer ck_live_YOUR_SECRET" },
  });
  const me = await res.json();
  console.log(me);
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import requests

  res = requests.get(
      "https://api.clipping.cc/v1/accounts/me",
      headers={"Authorization": "Bearer ck_live_YOUR_SECRET"},
  )
  print(res.json())
  ```
</CodeGroup>

Response:

```json theme={null}
{
  "account": {
    "user_id": "…",
    "balance_microcoins": 1000000,
    "balance_coins": 1.0,
    "withdrawable_coins": 1.0
  }
}
```

## 4. Explore

```bash theme={null}
# your items
curl https://api.clipping.cc/v1/items \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ck_live_YOUR_SECRET"

# semantic search over your library
curl "https://api.clipping.cc/v1/search?q=artificial%20intelligence" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ck_live_YOUR_SECRET"
```

See every endpoint in the **API Reference** tab (top menu).

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Core concepts" icon="diagram-project" href="/en/concepts">
    The data model — items, collections, reporters, workflows, executions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Asynchronous operations" icon="hourglass-half" href="/en/async-operations">
    How writes return `202` + an execution, and how to track them.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Monitor a source" icon="rss" href="/en/guides/monitor-a-source">
    Add a channel, sync it, list its videos.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build a reporter" icon="robot" href="/en/guides/build-a-reporter">
    A workflow that analyzes sources automatically.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>