---
title: Make a First REST API Call
description: Authenticate with an API key, request a documented analytics endpoint, and validate the response context.
audience: [agent]
type: guide
version: v1
stability: stable
lastVerified: "2026-08-01"
prerequisites: [/docs/api/authentication/]
related: [/docs/api/, /docs/api/analytics-endpoints/, /docs/agents/work-with-jobs/]
artifacts: []
---

## Prerequisites

- A SeeLLM API key created in `Settings > API Keys`.
- A trusted execution environment that can keep the key out of client-side code and logs.

## Recommended path

1. Read [Authentication](/docs/api/authentication/) and use an API key for this server-to-server request.
2. Request a documented analytics endpoint with a bounded range.
3. If you are working across domains, add the documented `domain` filter and preserve it in downstream records.
4. Interpret the response using the [Evidence Model](/docs/evidence-model/), not as proof beyond its signal type.

## Expected result

You receive JSON from the canonical API base URL for the API key’s organization. `401` means missing or invalid authentication; `403` means valid authentication without sufficient permissions.

## Verify

Run this request and confirm it returns JSON rather than an authentication error:

```bash
curl "https://api.seellm.link/api/analytics/traffic-overview?range=7d" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key_here"
```

## Troubleshooting

- If you receive `401`, confirm the key is complete and prefixed with `sk_live_`.
- If you receive `403`, use a key from the organization that owns the requested data.
- If you receive `429`, respect the rate-limit response before retrying.

## Related reference

- [REST API Overview](/docs/api/)
- [Authentication](/docs/api/authentication/)
- [Analytics Endpoints](/docs/api/analytics-endpoints/)