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

# Contract quickstart

> Choose LegalLab or the Agent API and make a controlled change to an example contract

Do not start by writing a complete contract from scratch. Pick an example close to your use case and make one controlled change.

<Warning>
  No end-to-end agreement example is currently available. The proposal request and complete counterparty-signing sequence must be confirmed on your Neuron before use.
</Warning>

## Choose a tool

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Use LegalLab" icon="pen-ruler" href="/contracts/legallab-quickstart">
    Open, edit, preview, and validate contract XML on Windows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use the Agent API" icon="brackets-curly" href="/contracts/agent-api-quickstart">
    Review the documented HTTP operations for template proposal and contract creation.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Use the [.NET client](/contracts/dotnet-client) only when your application already works directly with XMPP and the Waher contract libraries.

## What you need from a Neuron

| Action                        | Requirement                                                                                                                 |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Edit and validate XML locally | No Neuron connection                                                                                                        |
| Propose a template            | Account with an approved Legal Identity                                                                                     |
| Create an instance            | Approved template ID and a JWT-authenticated Agent API account                                                              |
| Send to a counterparty        | A `SendProposal` request confirmed for the target Neuron; no complete request is currently published                        |
| Sign as a party               | Approved Legal Identity authorized for that role, a signing key, and signature construction confirmed for the target Neuron |

You do not need access to the Neuron or Neuro-Ledger source repositories to use these tools.

## Where Neuro-Features fit

Neuro-Features are tokens whose behavior is defined by contracts and state machines. First learn to load and validate a normal contract. Then use the LegalLab token examples and the [token flow](/neuron-api/guides/tokens-flow) rather than inventing a token contract without a known-good reference.