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

# Quick start

> Install CodeGate and verify your first activation code in four steps

## Run CodeGate with Docker

If CodeGate is not deployed yet, pull the image:

```bash theme={null}
docker pull pfeak/codegate:latest
```

Start the container:

```bash theme={null}
docker run -d --name codegate \
  -p 8877:8877 \
  -v codegate-data:/app/backend/data \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  pfeak/codegate:latest
```

Parameter notes:

> `-p 8877:8877`: Maps the admin UI port\
> `-v codegate-data:/app/backend/data`: Mounts a volume for data persistence

Then open:

* **Admin UI**: `<http://localhost:8877>`

Use `base_url` = `http://localhost:8877` in the steps below (or your host/domain if the API and caller are on different machines).

## Prerequisites

* A running CodeGate instance (API URL and admin UI). If you used the Docker command above, nothing else is needed.

## Step 1: Install the SDK

Choose by stack:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```bash theme={null}
    pip install codegate-sdk
    ```

    Or with `uv`:

    ```bash theme={null}
    uv pip install codegate-sdk
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="JavaScript">
    ```bash theme={null}
    npm install codegate-sdk
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Step 2: Create a project and API key in CodeGate

1. Log in to the CodeGate admin UI.
2. Create a project (if needed).
3. Go to project details → **API keys**.
4. Click **Generate key** to get `api_key`, `secret`, and `project_id`.

<Warning>
  **Secret is shown only once.** Save it immediately; it cannot be viewed again.
</Warning>

## Step 3: Initialize the client

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    from codegate_sdk import CodeGateClient

    client = CodeGateClient(
        api_key="550e8400e29b41d4a716446655440000",
        secret="a1b2c3d4e5f6...",
        project_id="550e8400e29b41d4a716446655440000",
        base_url="https://api.example.com"
    )
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="JavaScript">
    ```typescript theme={null}
    import { CodeGateClient } from 'codegate-sdk';

    const client = new CodeGateClient({
      apiKey: '550e8400e29b41d4a716446655440000',
      secret: 'a1b2c3d4e5f6...',
      projectId: '550e8400e29b41d4a716446655440000',
      baseUrl: 'https://api.example.com',
    });
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Replace `api_key`, `secret`, `project_id` with your credentials and `base_url` with your CodeGate API URL.

## Step 4: Verify an activation code

<Warning>
  **Before verification**: Make sure you have created at least 1 valid activation code in your project before verifying. You can create activation codes in the admin UI under project details → **Activation codes**.
</Warning>

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    result = client.verify_code(code="ABC12345", verified_by="user123")
    if result['success']:
        print(f"Verified at: {result['verified_at']}")
    else:
        print(f"Failed: {result['error_code']} - {result['message']}")
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="JavaScript">
    ```typescript theme={null}
    const result = await client.verifyCode({ code: 'ABC12345', verifiedBy: 'user123' });
    if (result.success) {
      console.log('Verified at:', result.verified_at);
    } else {
      console.log('Failed:', result.error_code, result.message);
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Environment variables (recommended)

For production, use environment variables for credentials:

| Environment variable  | Description                                                |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `CODEGATE_API_KEY`    | API Key                                                    |
| `CODEGATE_SECRET`     | API Secret                                                 |
| `CODEGATE_PROJECT_ID` | Project ID                                                 |
| `CODEGATE_BASE_URL`   | API base URL (optional, default `https://api.example.com`) |

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    import os
    client = CodeGateClient(
        api_key=os.getenv("CODEGATE_API_KEY"),
        secret=os.getenv("CODEGATE_SECRET"),
        project_id=os.getenv("CODEGATE_PROJECT_ID"),
        base_url=os.getenv("CODEGATE_BASE_URL", "https://api.example.com")
    )
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="JavaScript">
    ```typescript theme={null}
    const client = new CodeGateClient({
      apiKey: process.env.CODEGATE_API_KEY!,
      secret: process.env.CODEGATE_SECRET!,
      projectId: process.env.CODEGATE_PROJECT_ID!,
      baseUrl: process.env.CODEGATE_BASE_URL || 'https://api.example.com',
    });
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Python SDK" icon="python" href="/en/sdk/python">
    More Python usage
  </Card>

  <Card title="JavaScript SDK" icon="javascript" href="/en/sdk/javascript">
    More JavaScript usage
  </Card>

  <Card title="API reference" icon="code" href="/en/api-reference/introduction">
    Call REST API directly
  </Card>
</CardGroup>