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

# Quickstart

> Get up and running with the VidNavigator API in less than 5 minutes.

This guide will walk you through the essential steps to start using the VidNavigator API with our official SDKs.

## Step 1: Get Your API Key

First, you'll need an API key. Sign up for a free account on the [VidNavigator Developer Dashboard](https://vidnavigator.com/studio/api) to get your key.

Keep this key safe, as you'll need it to authenticate all of your API requests.

## Step 2: Install an SDK

We provide official SDKs for Python and JavaScript to make interacting with our API as seamless as possible.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Python theme={null}
  pip install vidnavigator
  ```

  ```bash JavaScript theme={null}
  npm install vidnavigator
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Step 3: Make Your First API Call

Now you're ready to make your first API call. Here's a simple example that retrieves the transcript of a YouTube video. You can also use the Postman collection to make your first API call.

[<img src="https://run.pstmn.io/button.svg" alt="Run In Postman" style={{width: '128px', height: '32px'}} />](https://documenter.getpostman.com/view/47580454/2sBXinJWxN)

<Note>
  VidNavigator has separate endpoints for YouTube and other platforms. Use `get_youtube_transcript` for YouTube videos and `get_transcript` for other platforms like TikTok, X/Twitter, etc.
</Note>

### Python

```python theme={null}
import os
from vidnavigator import VidNavigatorClient, VidNavigatorError

# It's recommended to load your API key from an environment variable
# Create a .env file with: VIDNAVIGATOR_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
import dotenv
dotenv.load_dotenv()

client = VidNavigatorClient()

try:
    # For YouTube videos, use get_youtube_transcript
    result = client.get_youtube_transcript(
        video_url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"
    )
    print("Successfully retrieved transcript for:", result.data.video_info.title)
    print("Transcript snippet:", result.data.transcript[0].text)
except VidNavigatorError as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e.message}")
```

### JavaScript

```javascript theme={null}
const { VidNavigatorClient, VidNavigatorError } = require('vidnavigator');

// It's recommended to load your API key from an environment variable
const client = new VidNavigatorClient({
  apiKey: process.env.VIDNAVIGATOR_API_KEY,
});

async function getTranscript() {
  try {
    // For YouTube videos, use getYouTubeTranscript
    const { video_info, transcript } = await client.getYouTubeTranscript({
      video_url: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"
    });
    console.log("Successfully retrieved transcript for:", video_info.title);
    console.log("Transcript snippet:", transcript[0].text);
  } catch (error) {
    if (error instanceof VidNavigatorError) {
      console.error(`An error occurred: ${error.message}`);
    } else {
      console.error("An unexpected error occurred:", error);
    }
  }
}

getTranscript();
```

## Next Steps

You've successfully made your first API call! Here's where you can go next:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Explore the API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Dive deep into all the available endpoints and their parameters.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Check out the User Guides" icon="book-open-cover" href="/guides/getting-transcripts">
    Follow our step-by-step guides for common use cases.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>