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

# API Quickstart

> Authenticate, make your first call, and add a DNS record via the Stackryze API.

This guide walks you from a fresh account to your first successful API call in under three minutes. Everything below uses `curl` for clarity; the same requests work in any HTTP client.

## Prerequisites

* A Stackryze account ([sign up](https://dns.stackryze.com/signup))
* A verified account (see [Account Verification](/account-verification))

## Step 1 — Get an API token

Open **Settings → API** and click **Create token**. Copy the value — we never show it twice.

```bash theme={null}
export STACKRYZE_TOKEN="sk_live_..."
```

## Step 2 — Make your first call

List all the zones in your account:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.stackryze.com/v1/zones \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STACKRYZE_TOKEN"
```

A successful response looks like:

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "8c2e…",
      "name": "example.com",
      "status": "active",
      "record_count": 12,
      "created_at": "2026-06-12T08:23:11Z"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null
}
```

## Step 3 — Add a record

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.stackryze.com/v1/zones/example.com/records \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STACKRYZE_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "A",
    "name": "@",
    "value": "192.0.2.1",
    "ttl": 300
  }'
```

## Step 4 — Verify the change

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.stackryze.com/v1/zones/example.com/records \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STACKRYZE_TOKEN" | jq '.data[].name'
```

Or run a public lookup:

```bash theme={null}
dig +short @ns1.stackryze.com example.com
```

## Next steps

* Browse the full API surface — every endpoint the dashboard exposes
* Subscribe to webhook events — see [Webhooks](/guides/webhooks)
* Generate SDKs with `openapi-generator-cli` against our [OpenAPI spec](https://api.stackryze.com/v1/openapi.json)

<Tip>
  Hit a rate limit? Free accounts get 60 req/min, verified accounts 600 req/min, Pro 6,000 req/min.
</Tip>