> ## 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.

# Get started

> Create a Neuro-Pay API key and make your first authenticated request

## 1. Create an API key

In Neuro Admin, go to:

**Company Admin → API keys**

From there you can:

* create a **Live** or **Test** key,
* optionally set an **expiry date**,
* optionally restrict the key to specific **allowed IPs**,
* copy the generated key value for your integration.

## 2. Choose the correct base URL

Use the following base URL for all API requests:

```text theme={null}
Production: https://api.neuro-admin.com
```

## 3. Send the API key as a bearer token

```http theme={null}
Authorization: Bearer <api_key>
Content-Type: application/json
```

## 4. Make your first request

A simple first request is creating a checkout customer. It confirms your key
works and gives you a reusable `customer_id` for later checkout calls.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.neuro-admin.com/checkout/create-customer \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NEURO_PAY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "first_name": "Ada",
    "last_name": "Lovelace",
    "email": "ada@example.com"
  }'
```

Example response shape:

```json theme={null}
{
  "customer_id": "9a7991cb1e8e9f30911970e913ad4841",
  "first_name": "Ada",
  "last_name": "Lovelace",
  "email": "ada@example.com",
  "savedCards": []
}
```

## 5. Typical integration flow

For a hosted checkout integration, a common flow looks like this:

1. Create or reuse a Neuro-Pay customer.
2. Create a checkout.
3. Redirect the buyer to the returned `redirectUrl`.
4. Retrieve, capture, refund, or update the checkout as needed.

## Next steps

* [Authentication](/neuro-pay/authentication)
* [Checkout customers](/neuro-pay/api-reference/checkout/customers)
* [Checkouts](/neuro-pay/api-reference/checkout/checkouts)