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

# Quickstart

> Make the first useful v2 Client API calls.

This path keeps the first steps low-risk: confirm your key, generate one proxy connection, check it, then fetch one page. Once those pieces work, you can add location targeting, rotation rules, date filters, and usage reporting with more confidence.

## 1. Set Your API Key

Create or copy a Client API key from [API keys](https://app.floppydata.com/api-keys), then keep it in an environment variable while you test.

```bash theme={null}
export FLOPPY_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
export FLOPPY_BASE_URL="https://api.floppydata.net"
```

<Card title="Run requests in API Reference" icon="play" href="/docs/api-reference/v2/endpoint/account-balances">
  Prefer a browser-based flow? Use the endpoint playground to enter your API key and run live requests.
</Card>

<Card title="Use Floppydata from an agent" icon="bot" href="/docs/mcp-server">
  Prefer MCP? Add `@floppydata/mcp` to your MCP client and provide only `FLOPPYDATA_API_KEY`.
</Card>

## 2. Check Account Balances

This confirms your key works and shows the products available on the account.

```bash theme={null}
curl --request GET \
  --url "$FLOPPY_BASE_URL/v2/account/balances" \
  --header "X-Api-Key: $FLOPPY_API_KEY"
```

## 3. Build a Rotating Proxy Connection

```bash theme={null}
curl --request POST \
  --url "$FLOPPY_BASE_URL/v2/proxy/rotating/connections" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --header "X-Api-Key: $FLOPPY_API_KEY" \
  --data '{
    "type": "residential",
    "country": "US",
    "city": "New York",
    "protocol": "http",
    "rotation": 15
  }'
```

Use `connection.connectionString` from the response as the proxy URL in your HTTP client, browser profile, or automation tool.

For UDP traffic, use a residential or mobile proxy with `"protocol": "socks5"`
and add `"udp": true`.

## 4. Check the Proxy

```bash theme={null}
curl --request POST \
  --url "$FLOPPY_BASE_URL/v2/proxy/check" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --header "X-Api-Key: $FLOPPY_API_KEY" \
  --data '{
    "connectionString": "http://username:password@geo.g-w.info:10080"
  }'
```

## 5. Fetch Web Data

```bash theme={null}
curl --request POST \
  --url "$FLOPPY_BASE_URL/v2/web-data/fetch" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --header "X-Api-Key: $FLOPPY_API_KEY" \
  --data '{
    "url": "https://example.com",
    "countryCode": "US",
    "difficulty": "low",
    "cacheMaxAgeDays": 0
  }'
```

Next: [Authentication](/docs/authentication), [API conventions](/docs/development), or [task guides](/docs/guides/web-data).

<Card title="Automate a Cloud Browser" icon="browser" href="/docs/guides/cloud-browser">
  When you are ready to start a browser session, connect with Playwright or Puppeteer, and manage saved browser settings, continue with the Cloud Browser guide.
</Card>