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

# Quickstart

> Get up and running with Ardie in 5 minutes

## Get Started in 5 Steps

Follow this guide to create your account, purchase access to a knowledge base, and make your first API query.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an Account">
    Sign up for a free Ardie account to access the marketplace and manage your API keys.

    <Card title="Create Account" icon="user-plus" href="https://ardie.ai/register">
      Sign up for free
    </Card>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Browse the Marketplace">
    Explore available knowledge bases across categories like **Education**, **Policy**, **Health**, **Research**, and **Legal**.

    <Card title="Browse Knowledge Bases" icon="store" href="https://ardie.ai/knowledge-bases">
      View the marketplace
    </Card>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Purchase Access">
    Choose a plan that fits your needs. Plans include a fixed number of queries per billing period.

    Navigate to any knowledge base detail page and click **Purchase** on your preferred plan.

    <Tip>Start with a smaller plan to test the knowledge base before committing to higher volumes.</Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get Your API Key">
    After purchase, Ardie issues you a **scoped API key**. This key grants access only to the specific knowledge base you purchased.

    <Card title="View My API Keys" icon="key" href="https://ardie.ai/dashboard">
      Go to Dashboard
    </Card>

    <Warning>Keep your API key secure. Never expose it in client-side code or public repositories.</Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make Your First Query">
    Use your API key to send queries and receive answers with citations.

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.ardie.ai/kb/{kb_id}/query \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"query": "Your question here"}'
    ```

    **Example Response:**

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "answer": "The key curriculum standards for grade 5 math include...",
      "citations": [
        {
          "document_id": "doc_123",
          "title": "Common Core Math Standards",
          "excerpt": "Students should be able to...",
          "page": 42
        }
      ],
      "tokens_used": 150
    }
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="API Reference" icon="book" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Learn about all available endpoints and parameters.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="lock" href="/api-reference/authentication">
    Understand how API keys work and best practices.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rate Limits" icon="gauge" href="/api-reference/rate-limits">
    Learn about usage caps and rate limiting.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error Handling" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/api-reference/error-handling">
    Handle errors gracefully in your application.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>