# Quick Start

> Get your first AI response in 3 steps.

- Canonical: https://tchavi.com/en/docs/quickstart

---


Tchavi is an OpenAI-compatible AI API gateway. Follow these three steps to make your first request and get an AI response back.

## 1. Create an account

Sign up at [/register](/register). You get **500 free credits** instantly.

## 2. Create an API key

Go to your [API Keys dashboard](/api-keys) and create a new key. Copy it — you won't see it again.

## 3. Make your first request

<CodeTabs>

```tchavi
import Tchavi from '@tchavi/sdk';

const client = new Tchavi({ apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY' });

const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: 'gpt-4o-mini',
  messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Hello!' }],
});

console.log(response.choices[0].message.content);
console.log('Credits used:', response.tchavi.credits_used);
```

```openai
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="YOUR_API_KEY",
    base_url="https://tchavi.com/api/v1",
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gpt-4o-mini",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)
```

```javascript
const response = await fetch('https://tchavi.com/api/v1/chat/completions', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    Authorization: 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    model: 'gpt-4o-mini',
    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Hello!' }],
  }),
});

const data = await response.json();
console.log(data.choices[0].message.content);
```

```python
import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://tchavi.com/api/v1/chat/completions",
    headers={
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY",
    },
    json={
        "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
    },
)

data = response.json()
print(data["choices"][0]["message"]["content"])
```

```curl
curl -X POST https://tchavi.com/api/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
    "messages": [
      { "role": "user", "content": "Hello!" }
    ]
  }'
```

</CodeTabs>

## Next steps

- Learn how to keep your key safe in [Authentication](/en/docs/authentication).
- See the [Base URL](/en/docs/base-url) and OpenAI compatibility details.