# Quickstart

> Get a key, set two environment variables, and make your first request in about a minute.

_Source: https://aiprimetech.io/docs/getting-started/quickstart/ · Home > Docs > Getting started_

This page takes you from nothing to a working response. It assumes only `curl`; SDK versions are in [SDKs](/docs/sdks/).


## Step 1 — Create a key

1. [Register an account](/register) and confirm your email.
2. [Top up credits](/topup/) or [buy an unlimited plan](/plans/). New accounts get a bonus on the first crypto top-up — see [Pricing](/docs/billing/pricing/).
3. Open the dashboard, go to **API Keys**, and create a key. It begins with `sk-`.
4. Copy it immediately — the full value is shown once.


## Step 2 — Export it

```bash
export CLAUDEAPIKEY="sk-your-key-here"
```


## Step 3 — Call the API


### Anthropic format

```bash
curl https://aiprimetech.io/v1/messages \
  -H "x-api-key: $CLAUDEAPIKEY" \
  -H "anthropic-version: 2023-06-01" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "max_tokens": 1024,
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]
  }'
```


### OpenAI format

Identical models, different envelope — pick whichever matches your client:

```bash
curl https://aiprimetech.io/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CLAUDEAPIKEY" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]
  }'
```


## Step 4 — Confirm what you can reach

```bash
curl https://aiprimetech.io/v1/models \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CLAUDEAPIKEY"
```

That returns every model id your key can address. Use those ids verbatim in the `model` field.


## Step 5 — Point a real tool at it

For Claude Code, two variables are the whole setup:

```bash
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://aiprimetech.io"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$CLAUDEAPIKEY"
claude
```

> If `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` is already set in your shell, Claude Code may bill that key instead and silently ignore your subscription. Unset it when switching. See [Claude Code](/docs/guides/claude-code/).


## Troubleshooting the first call

| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| `401` | Key missing, mistyped, or sent in the wrong header | Anthropic format uses `x-api-key`; OpenAI format uses `Authorization: Bearer` |
| `402` | No credits and no active plan | [Top up](/topup/) or [buy a plan](/plans/) |
| `404` on `/v1/chat/completions` | Client is calling the Anthropic path with an OpenAI body, or vice versa | Match the format to the endpoint — see [Overview](/docs/api-reference/overview/) |
| `model_not_found` | Model id not spelled exactly as returned by `/v1/models` | Copy the id from the models endpoint |

- [Authentication](https://aiprimetech.io/docs/getting-started/authentication/) — Header and env-var reference
- [Messages API](https://aiprimetech.io/docs/api-reference/messages/) — Full request and response schema
- [Errors](https://aiprimetech.io/docs/api-reference/errors/) — Every status code and what it means


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_ClaudeAPIKey.dev is an independently operated, Anthropic-compatible API gateway. Not affiliated with Anthropic._