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

# Quickstart

> From zero to your first email in under 5 minutes, with the Test key.

From zero to your first email in under 5 minutes. You'll use the **Test key**: it sends real emails, flagged as test so they don't pollute your production metrics.

<Info>
  If you don't have an account yet, sign up at [app.reallyquickemails.com](https://app.reallyquickemails.com). You need a verified domain to send; see the [domains guide](/en/api-reference/domains).
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Get your Test API Key">
    1. Log in to the [dashboard](https://app.reallyquickemails.com).
    2. Select your project.
    3. In the side menu, open **Integrations → API Keys**.
    4. Copy the **Test key** (`sk_test_*`). If you later need production traffic, repeat with the **Live key** (`sk_live_*` or `sk_proj_*`).

    Store it as an environment variable:

    ```bash theme={null}
    export RQE_API_KEY="sk_test_your_test_key"
    ```

    <Warning>
      Don't hardcode keys in client-side code. Use them only from the backend.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send your first email">
    Use `POST /v1/send-email` with raw HTML:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="curl">
        ```bash theme={null}
        curl -X POST https://api.reallyquickemails.com/v1/send-email \
          -H "Authorization: Bearer $RQE_API_KEY" \
          -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
          -d '{
            "recipient_email": "you@email.com",
            "sender_email": "noreply@yourdomain.com",
            "sender_name": "Your Company",
            "subject": "Hello from ReallyQuickEmails",
            "html_body": "<h1>Hello!</h1><p>This is my first email.</p>"
          }'
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="JavaScript">
        ```javascript theme={null}
        const res = await fetch('https://api.reallyquickemails.com/v1/send-email', {
          method: 'POST',
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.RQE_API_KEY}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
          },
          body: JSON.stringify({
            recipient_email: 'you@email.com',
            sender_email: 'noreply@yourdomain.com',
            sender_name: 'Your Company',
            subject: 'Hello from ReallyQuickEmails',
            html_body: '<h1>Hello!</h1><p>This is my first email.</p>',
          }),
        });

        const data = await res.json();
        console.log(data); // { message: 'Email sent successfully', email_id: '...', project_id: '...' }
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Python">
        ```python theme={null}
        import os, requests

        res = requests.post(
            'https://api.reallyquickemails.com/v1/send-email',
            headers={
                'Authorization': f"Bearer {os.environ['RQE_API_KEY']}",
                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            },
            json={
                'recipient_email': 'you@email.com',
                'sender_email': 'noreply@yourdomain.com',
                'sender_name': 'Your Company',
                'subject': 'Hello from ReallyQuickEmails',
                'html_body': '<h1>Hello!</h1><p>This is my first email.</p>',
            },
        )
        print(res.json())
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Validate the response">
    A successful response returns `200 OK` with:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "message": "Email sent successfully",
      "email_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
      "project_id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000"
    }
    ```

    Common errors:

    | Status | Cause                                     | Fix                                                  |
    | ------ | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
    | `401`  | Invalid API key or missing correct prefix | Verify `Authorization: Bearer sk_test_...`           |
    | `400`  | Missing required field                    | Check `recipient_email`, `sender_email`, `html_body` |

    An unverified `sender_email` does **not** produce a synchronous error: the request responds `200` and the send fails in the background. Check the status in Activity and verify your domain in [Domains](/en/api-reference/domains).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the send in the dashboard">
    In the dashboard's **Activity**, you'll see the send flagged with `is_test=true` (because you used `sk_test_*`).

    When the email is opened, the `email.open` event arrives at your project's `webhook_url_dev` if it's configured. See [Webhooks](/en/api-reference/webhooks).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

<Info>
  **Ready for production**

  Repeat the send with `sk_live_*` (or `sk_proj_*`) when you want to send to real customers. Configure `webhook_url` and `inbound_webhook_url` in your project.
</Info>

* **[Templates with variables](/en/guides/templates)** — Handlebars, `{{variables}}`, helpers.
* **[Scheduling sends](/en/guides/scheduling)** — future dates with time zones.
* **[Attachments](/en/guides/attachments)** — PDFs, .ics calendar events.
* **[Send batch](/en/api-reference/public-api)** — up to 10,000 recipients per request.
* **[Webhooks](/en/api-reference/webhooks)** — receive `email.delivery`, `email.open`, `email.click`, `email.bounce` events.