# Quickstart

> Make your first Poacher API request, then read your own alerts with a scoped key.

Source: https://app.poacher.io/developers/quickstart · API version 1.10.1

## Read the public catalog {#public}

No key is needed to see which sites Poacher can watch.

```bash
curl https://app.poacher.io/api/v1/sources
```

`GET /api/v1/capabilities` says what the API can do today and which features are switched off. Read it before planning paid work.

## Create a key {#key}

1. Sign in and open [Account → Developer access](https://app.poacher.io/account/developer).
2. Name the key, tick only the permissions it needs and choose 7, 30 or 90 days.
3. Copy the key. It is shown once.

Keys look like `poacher_v1_…`. Keep them in a secret store or environment variable, never in a URL, a repository or browser code. [Permissions](https://app.poacher.io/developers/authorization#permissions).

## Read your alerts {#first-request}

```bash
export POACHER_API_KEY=poacher_v1_…
curl https://app.poacher.io/api/v1/alerts -H "Authorization: Bearer $POACHER_API_KEY"
```

```json
{"data":[{"id":42,"name":"Gatsby first editions","status":"active","edit_revision":"…","urgency":"normal","filters":{},"result_review":true,"billing_hold":false,"volume_hold":false,"created_at":"2026-11-01T10:00:00.000Z"}],"next_before":null}
```

Then read that alert’s results:

```bash
curl https://app.poacher.io/api/v1/alerts/42/results -H "Authorization: Bearer $POACHER_API_KEY"
```

## Or connect an assistant {#mcp}

Add `https://app.poacher.io/mcp` to your MCP client. No key to paste: the client opens Poacher for sign-in when it first needs your account. [Client setup](https://app.poacher.io/developers/mcp#clients).

## Next {#next}

- [Workflows](https://app.poacher.io/developers/workflows): channels, edits, paid previews and checks, step by step.
- [REST reference](https://app.poacher.io/developers/api) and [MCP tools](https://app.poacher.io/developers/tools).
- [Errors](https://app.poacher.io/developers/errors) and [limits](https://app.poacher.io/developers/api#limits).