# Quickstart

Source: https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/get-started/quickstart
Last modified: 2026-09-08T22:34:42-06:00

> Create an account, get an API key, and make your first authenticated call to the Elnora API.

Go from zero to your first authenticated request in a few minutes.

### Create your account

Sign up at [platform.elnora.ai](https://platform.elnora.ai) with your work email.
You'll land in an **organization** — your team's workspace. If a colleague already
has one, ask them to invite you; otherwise you start your own.

### Create an API key

In the dashboard, open **Settings → API keys → Create key**. Give it a name
(and an optional expiry), and copy the key — it's shown **once**. A key inherits
the roles of its creator, so it can do what you can.

```bash
# Store it as an environment variable — never commit it.
export ELNORA_API_KEY="elnora_live_..."
```

Prefer the terminal? Once the [CLI](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/cli) is authenticated you can also run
`elnora api-keys create --name ci`.

### Make your first request

Every request is authenticated with the `X-API-Key` header. Start with the public
version endpoint, then list your tasks:

```bash
curl https://platform.elnora.ai/api/v1/version

curl https://platform.elnora.ai/api/v1/tasks \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ELNORA_API_KEY"
```

### Put the agent to work

Elnora is an agent: you create a **task**, send it a message, and it works
asynchronously. Read the reply back by polling the task's messages.

```bash
# 1. Create a task
TASK=$(curl -s -X POST https://platform.elnora.ai/api/v1/tasks \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ELNORA_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "title": "Optimize transfection" }')

# 2. Send it a message (the agent starts working in the background)
curl -X POST "https://platform.elnora.ai/api/v1/tasks/<task-uuid>/messages" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ELNORA_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "content": "Optimize a HEK293 transfection protocol for higher yield" }'

# 3. Read the reply — poll until the agent responds (cursor pagination)
curl "https://platform.elnora.ai/api/v1/tasks/<task-uuid>/messages" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ELNORA_API_KEY"
```

Files the agent produces land in your **knowledge base** as first-class files —
private to you by default — so browse them with
[folders and files](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/api/reference/folders), starting at
`GET /folders/roots`. Files you attach to the chat stay scoped to the task's
[attachments](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/api/reference/tasks). See the [API overview](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/api) for
the full request/response shapes.

## Next steps

  - [API reference](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/api) — Every endpoint, with auth, parameters, and copy-paste examples.
  - [CLI](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/cli) — The same operations from your terminal — scriptable and automatable.
  - [MCP & plugins](https://docs.elnora.ai/docs/mcp) — Connect Claude, Cursor, and any AI tool to Elnora.

**WARN:**

  Treat API keys like passwords. Store them in environment variables or a secrets
  manager, and revoke a key anytime from the dashboard or with `elnora api-keys
  revoke`.