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

# Quickstart

> Start validating documents with the ZeroDrift API in minutes

## Get started in three steps

Validate your first document using the ZeroDrift Validation API.

### Step 1: Get your API key

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="key" title="Create an API key in Command">
    API keys live in ZeroDrift Command. Sign in, open **Settings**, then under **API** select **Keys**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zerodrift/owsXk0Mh8ts2lMQQ/images/command-api-keys.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=owsXk0Mh8ts2lMQQ&q=85&s=6561c052d4d6c56b464d581803f200b8" alt="Command Settings → API → Keys empty state with Create first key" width="3285" height="1918" data-path="images/command-api-keys.png" />
    </Frame>

    1. Select **Create first key** (or **New API key** if you already have keys).
    2. In the **Create API key** dialog, enter a **Key name**, choose **Permissions** (Full access or Read only), and set **Rulepacks**.
    3. Select **Create**, then **Copy** the key immediately — Command shows the full value only once.

    Use the key in the `x-api-key` header for all API requests:

    ```bash theme={null}
    x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Step 2: Submit content for validation

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="paper-plane" title="Validate content">
    The quickest way to test the API is with a text snippet:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST "https://api.zerodrift.ai/api/v3/content/validate" \
      -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{
        "email_text": "Our fund guarantees 20% returns with zero risk!",
        "document_category": "scenario_retail_investor_letter"
      }'
    ```

    You'll receive a `job_id` in the response:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "api_version": "v3",
      "job_id": "abc123def456",
      "status": "queued",
      "mode": "async",
      "model_engine": "v2_frontier",
      "poll": { "method": "GET", "url": "/api/v3/jobs/abc123def456" }
    }
    ```

    <Tip>Validation runs asynchronously by default. For short content you can set `"mode": "sync"` to receive the completed result in a single response, and `"model_engine": "anchor_3_0"` selects the faster Anchor 3.0 SLM — see [Validate Content](/api-reference/validate/validate-content).</Tip>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Step 3: Get validation results

<Accordion icon="clipboard-check" title="Poll for results">
  Use the `job_id` to retrieve your validation results:

  ```bash theme={null}
  curl "https://api.zerodrift.ai/api/v3/jobs/abc123def456" \
    -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
  ```

  Poll until `status` is `done` or `failed`. A completed response includes:

  ```json theme={null}
  {
    "api_version": "v3",
    "job_id": "abc123def456",
    "status": "done",
    "model_engine": "v2_frontier",
    "overall_status": "do not send",
    "summary": { "do_not_send": 1, "send_with_caution": 0, "document_pages": 1 },
    "violations_by_line": [
      {
        "line_number": 1,
        "line_text": "Our fund guarantees 20% returns with zero risk!",
        "rule_count": 1,
        "rules_violated": [
          {
            "rule_name": "Prohibited Promissory Language (Keywords)",
            "rule_ref": "FINRA 2210(d)(1)(B)",
            "severity": "do_not_send",
            "confidence": 0.92,
            "action": "replace"
          }
        ],
        "best_fix": {
          "severity": "do_not_send",
          "rule_name": "Prohibited Promissory Language (Keywords)",
          "rule_ref": "FINRA 2210(d)(1)(B)",
          "action": "replace",
          "suggested_text": "Our fund has historically delivered returns, though past performance does not guarantee future results.",
          "confidence": 0.92
        }
      }
    ]
  }
  ```
</Accordion>

## Next steps

Explore the full API capabilities:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Validate Content" icon="paper-plane" href="/api-reference/validate/validate-content">
    Full request/response details for the validation endpoint used above.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Introduction" icon="book" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Full API reference with authentication, workflows, and rate limits.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rule Packs" icon="list-check" href="/api-reference/rulepacks">
    Browse the managed and custom rule pack catalog.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  **Need help?** Contact us at **[support@zerodrift.ai](mailto:support@zerodrift.ai)**
</Note>