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

# API quickstart

> Authenticate and make your first successful bisibility REST API request.

Use this path to verify a bearer credential against the REST API by listing the
projects it can access.

## 1. Choose the API root

Use the regional API root shown by your hosted project, or your self-hosted app
origin with `/api/v1` appended:

```bash theme={null}
export BISIBILITY_BASE_URL="https://rank.example.com/api/v1"
```

## 2. Create a credential

Create a project API key in **Project Settings -> API keys** for one-project
automation, or a personal access token in **Account -> Security** for user or
cross-project automation. [Authentication](/docs/authentication) explains the
choice, permissions, and secret lifecycle.

Store the credential in your secret manager, then expose it to this shell:

```bash theme={null}
export BISIBILITY_TOKEN="bsb_key_live_..."
```

## 3. List projects

```bash theme={null}
curl --fail-with-body "$BISIBILITY_BASE_URL/projects" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BISIBILITY_TOKEN"
```

A successful request returns `200 OK` with a `data` array of projects and
pagination metadata. A project API key returns its one project; a personal
access token returns the projects available through the user's memberships.
For the exact request and response contract, see the
[GET projects API reference][api-reference-projects].

For a rejected request, use the
[authentication troubleshooting table](/docs/authentication#troubleshoot-the-first-request).

[api-reference-projects]: /api-reference/projects/list-projects-visible-to-this-api-key