# Required steps to start

To use our API without any complications please follow the steps provided here.

## API-Key

The most important part to use our API is the API-Key. You can create multiple API-Keys in our back office (Customer Cockpit) for different cases. First, to start using our API you will need to create an API-Key in `Testing` mode.

Therefore just log in to our back office (Customer Cockpit) and navigate to `Configure` > [`API Keys`](https://manage.xs2a.com/configure/apikeys) inside the navigation bar on the left side.

![](/files/GhtlvvgiBq864IL4Zx3L)

You can now create new API-Keys on the right side of the page. Please make sure to read the description and take care of the explanation for restricting IP-addresses. Also, we recommend writing some comments to have a better overview afterward.

![](/files/-MMoObLSvOkeL_TcpSep)

After you created a new API-Key you will see a new message on the page containing the Key.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Make sure to copy your new API key now. You won’t be able to see it again!**
{% endhint %}

![](/files/-MMoPGCp3FNX3TfpReLq)

You also have an overview of all created API keys on this page.

![](/files/-MMoQ37MGV5tV_pqq0aN)

Continue with the [next step](/xs2a/integration-cs/getting-started/use-case-integration.md) to check if we already have an example for your use case.

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MMQU\_XQNXM2Y6kVgED0" %}
[Use case integration](/xs2a/integration-cs/getting-started/use-case-integration.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://guide.xs2a.com/xs2a/integration-cs/getting-started/required-steps-to-start.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.