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

# Get Started with Verbosec Cloud

> Set up your Verbosec Cloud account, generate an API key, and connect to Nexus AI or Starhost programmatically in a few steps.

Getting up and running with Verbosec Cloud takes just a few minutes. This guide walks you through creating your account, generating your first API key, and making your first authenticated request — so you can start building with Nexus AI or Starhost right away.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create or log in to your Verbosec account">
    Visit [verbosec.com](https://verbosec.com) and sign up for a free account, or log in if you already have one. Your Verbosec account gives you access to the full Verbosec Cloud dashboard and all associated products.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Access the Verbosec Cloud dashboard">
    Once you're logged in, you'll land on the Verbosec Cloud dashboard. From here you can navigate to any Verbosec product — including [Nexus AI](https://app.mynexusai.com) and Starhost — and manage your account settings, team, and billing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to API Keys and generate a new key">
    In the dashboard sidebar, go to **API Keys** and click **Generate New Key**. Give your key a descriptive name that reflects its purpose — for example, `Development` or `Production App` — so you can identify it later.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy your API key securely">
    After generating the key, copy it immediately. For security reasons, the full key is only displayed once. If you lose it before saving it, you'll need to revoke the key and generate a new one.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make your first API request">
    Use your API key to authenticate requests to the Nexus AI or Starhost APIs. Pass the key as a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header of every request, as shown in the example below.
  </Step>
</Steps>

```bash test-api.sh theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.verbosec.com/v1/text/generate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"prompt": "Write a short blog post about AI tools", "max_tokens": 500}'
```

<Tip>
  Keep your API key secret — never commit it to source code or expose it in client-side applications. Store it in an environment variable (for example, `VERBOSEC_API_KEY`) and reference it at runtime.
</Tip>

## Next steps

Now that you have an API key, explore the full API reference or learn more about authenticating your requests.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Browse all available Verbosec API endpoints and request schemas.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="lock" href="/api-reference/authentication">
    Learn how to authenticate API requests and manage token scopes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>