# Getting Started
import { Card, CardHeader, CardTitle, CardDescription } from "zudoku/ui/Card.js";
This guide shows the shortest path to your first successful Kordiam API request.
## Prerequisites
- A Kordiam account
- Client credentials (client ID and client secret). If you do not have them yet, generate them on the [API Page](https://kordiam.app/apiPage.htm) (you need admin rights to do this).
## Base URL
All API requests are made to:
```text title="Base URL"
https://api.kordiam.app/api/v2
```
## Your First Request
1. **Obtain an access token**
Exchange your client credentials for a bearer access token:
```bash title="Request a token"
curl -X POST https://api.kordiam.app/api/v2/auth/token \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"client_id": "your-client-id",
"client_secret": "your-client-secret",
"grant_type": "client_credentials"
}'
```
The response contains your access token:
```json title="Response"
{
"access_token": "eyJhbGciOi...",
"token_type": "Bearer",
"expires_in": 3600,
"scope": "api.read api.write",
"refresh_token": "dGhpcyBpcyBh..."
}
```
:::tip{title="Schedule refresh from expires_in"}
Save the returned `access_token` and use the returned `expires_in` value when scheduling refresh logic instead of assuming a fixed token lifetime.
:::
1. **Make your first API call**
Use the access token in the `Authorization` header:
```bash title="List elements"
ACCESS_TOKEN="eyJhbGciOi..."
curl https://api.kordiam.app/api/v2/elements \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN"
```
This first request returns a paginated element list. Follow `nextCursor` from the response to
walk additional pages. The response shape and available query parameters are documented in the
[API reference](/api), and shared pagination patterns are covered in
[Querying Lists](/docs/guides/api-conventions/querying-lists).
:::rocket{title="You're connected"}
You've issued a token and made an authenticated call. The guides below cover the data model, auth
lifecycle, and conventions you'll need for a full integration.
:::
## Next Steps