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

# Quickstart

> Create a Boxpressd developer application, get an API key, and call the catalog API.

This guide creates a development application and uses its key to search the Boxpressd cigar catalog.

## Prerequisites

* A Boxpressd account
* A server environment that can keep an API key private
* `curl` or another HTTP client

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a developer application">
    Go to [developers.boxpressd.com](https://developers.boxpressd.com) and sign in with Boxpressd.

    Open **My Apps**, select **New application**, and enter an application name and description. Select at least one starter use case:

    * **Search & discovery** for catalog search and lookup
    * **Connected Boxpressd app** for OAuth user access
    * **Data integration** for server-side integrations

    Click **Create development app**. Starter use cases recommend products and scopes. They do not restrict your application.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a development key">
    Open the application, then open **Credentials**. Enter a key name, choose **Development**, and optionally set an expiration date. Click **Create API key**.

    Copy the complete `bxp_test_...` value immediately. The dashboard shows it only once.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Store the key on your server">
    Add the key to your server environment:

    ```env theme={null}
    BOXPRESSD_DEVELOPER_API_KEY=bxp_test_replace_me
    ```

    Never place a developer key in browser JavaScript, an `EXPO_PUBLIC_*` or `VITE_*` variable, a native application bundle, or source control.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search the catalog">
    Send the key in `x-boxpressd-key`:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl --get "https://api.boxpressd.com/v1/cigars/search" \
      --header "x-boxpressd-key: $BOXPRESSD_DEVELOPER_API_KEY" \
      --data-urlencode "q=liga privada" \
      --data-urlencode "limit=20"
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

A successful response contains published cigar records and cursor pagination:

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "cigar_k9P4m",
      "name": "Liga Privada No. 9",
      "brandName": "Drew Estate"
    }
  ],
  "pagination": {
    "hasNextPage": false,
    "endCursor": null
  }
}
```

Next, read [Authentication](/developer-api/authentication), try [GraphQL](/developer-api/graphql), or configure [OAuth](/developer-api/oauth) for user-specific data.