# Quickstart

Give your agent web search, page reading and cited research.

## 1. Check for an API key

Before connecting, check that AREX_API_KEY holds a working key:

```bash
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}\n" \
  https://api.arex-research.com/v1/research/00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000000 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AREX_API_KEY"
```

404 means the key works: the request looks up a Run that does not exist and creates nothing. 401 means the key is missing or invalid. If the arex CLI is installed, arex doctor runs the same check.

If there is no working key, ask the user to create one at https://www.arex-research.com/platform/console/keys and set AREX_API_KEY in their own terminal, or run arex setup. Do not ask them to paste the key into the chat.

## 2. Connect AREX

Pick the setup that fits the user's environment. All of them use the same API key.

### MCP

For agents that support remote MCP servers. Command-line agents add it with one command; ZCode, WorkBuddy and similar apps take the mcp.json entry in their MCP settings.

#### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add arex --url https://api.arex-research.com/v1/mcp \
  --bearer-token-env-var AREX_API_KEY
```

#### Claude Code

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http arex https://api.arex-research.com/v1/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $AREX_API_KEY"
```

#### Kimi Code

```bash
kimi mcp add --transport http arex https://api.arex-research.com/v1/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $AREX_API_KEY"
```

#### mcp.json

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "arex": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.arex-research.com/v1/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}
```

[Full MCP guide](/platform/docs/integrations/mcp.md?locale=en)

### Skill

For agents that run shell commands. Installs the arex CLI and the arex Skill.

#### Shell

```bash
npm install -g @arex-research/cli
arex setup
arex skill install
```

[Full Agent Skills guide](/platform/docs/integrations/skills.md?locale=en)

### SDK

For your own code, in TypeScript or Python.

#### TypeScript

```typescript
// npm install @arex-research/ts-sdk
import { Arex } from "@arex-research/ts-sdk";

const arex = new Arex(); // reads AREX_API_KEY
const run = await arex.research.run("How are AI agents evaluated?", { mode: "fast" });
console.log(run.result.answer);
```

#### Python

```python
# pip install arex-python-sdk
from arex import Arex

with Arex() as arex:  # reads AREX_API_KEY
    run = arex.research.run("How are AI agents evaluated?", mode="fast")
    print(run.result.answer)
```

[Full SDK guide](/platform/docs/integrations/sdk.md?locale=en)

## Next

- [Search](/platform/docs/reference/search.md?locale=en): Find pages for a query.

- [Contents](/platform/docs/reference/contents.md?locale=en): Read the text of a page you have the URL for.

- [Research](/platform/docs/reference/research.md?locale=en): Get an answer with cited sources.

- [Documentation](/platform/docs/llms.txt?locale=en)