---
title: Claude API Setup in Two Minutes
description: "A two-minute Claude API quickstart: create a key, set your base URL to api.apitoken.sale, and send your first /v1/messages request with curl, Python or your IDE."
url: https://apitoken.sale/docs/learn/claude-api-quick-setup
language: en
---

# Set up the Claude API in two minutes

This is the fastest path from zero to a working Claude API call. Everything below uses the standard Anthropic Messages API, so it drops straight into your existing code.

## 1. Create a key

Sign up, open the dashboard, and generate a key. It looks like sk-pool-… and works across every supported model.

## 2. Set your endpoint

Point any Anthropic-compatible client at the gateway:

```
Base URL:  https://api.apitoken.sale
Endpoint:  POST /v1/messages
Headers:   x-api-key: sk-pool-•••
           anthropic-version: 2023-06-01
```

## 3. Send your first request

```
curl https://api.apitoken.sale/v1/messages \
  -H "x-api-key: sk-pool-•••" \
  -H "anthropic-version: 2023-06-01" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-opus-4-8",
    "max_tokens": 1024,
    "messages": [{"role":"user","content":"Hello"}]
  }'
```

## Common first-call errors

- 401 Unauthorized — missing or wrong x-api-key, or wrong base URL.
- 400 Bad Request — check the model ID and that max_tokens is set.
- 429 Too Many Requests — respect Retry-After and lower concurrency.
- 402 / insufficient balance — top up any whole-dollar amount.

## Frequently asked questions

### What base URL do I use?

Use https://api.apitoken.sale with any Anthropic-compatible tool and send requests to /v1/messages.

### Which auth header is required?

Send x-api-key with your key and anthropic-version, exactly like the official Anthropic API.

---
Get a key: https://apitoken.sale/register
More guides: https://apitoken.sale/docs/learn