# Quickstart

NexumAPI provides a RESTful interface for developers to interact with their Symitar data using their existing SymXchange instances.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Want to jump straight to the code?**

Skip the quickstart and dive into the [SymXchange API reference](/nexum/symxchange/api-reference.md).
{% endhint %}

This quickstart is designed to help you make your first API request on the NexumAPI Playground. If you're an experienced developer or want to just dive into using NexumAPI, the [API reference](/nexum/symxchange/api-reference.md) is a great place to start. Throughout this quickstart, you will learn:

* How to get access to the NexumAPI Playground
* Overview of some of the basic concepts of NexumAPI
* How to send your first API request

If you run into any challenges or have questions getting started, please join our [Libum Community](https://discord.gg/libum) on Discord.

## Accessing the playground

We've created a playground environment to give credit union developers an immediate first look at NexumAPI. First, tag a Libum Team Member in the <mark style="color:blue;">**#api-key-requests**</mark> channel on our [Libum Community](https://discord.gg/libum) server with your email alias (if you don't have Discord, reach out to our team at <development@libum.io>).

## Making your first request

Select the tool or language you want to get started using the NexumAPI Playground with. The NexumAPI Playground is provided as a ready-to-use service called NexumAPI as a Service or "NaaS" meaning ultimately it's language agnostic.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Node.js" %}
Node.js is a popular JavaScript framework that is commonly used for web development. We'll use the popular [node-fetch](https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-fetch) library to make light weight requests to NaaS.

**Install Node.js**

To use [node-fetch](https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-fetch) to make a NexumAPI call, you will need to ensure you have Node.js installed. To download Node.js, head to the [official Node website](https://nodejs.org/en/download) and download the LTS version. If you're installing Node.js for the first time, you can follow the [official Node.js usage guide](https://nodejs.org/api/synopsis.html#usage) to get started

**Install the node-fetch library**

Once you have Node.js installed, the node-fetch library can be installed. From the terminal / command line, run:

```bash
npm install --save node-fetch
# or
yarn add node-fetch
```

**Set up your API key**

Follow the below steps for your OS to make your API key accessible for this and all future projects.

**macOS**

1. **Open Terminal:** Search for it using Spotlight (Command + Space)
2. **Edit bash profile:** Use the command <mark style="color:purple;">`nano ~/.bash_profile`</mark> or <mark style="color:purple;">`nano ~/.zshrc`</mark> (for newer macOS versions) to open the profile file in the [nano](https://www.nano-editor.org/) text editor.
3. **Add Environment Variable:** In the editor, add <mark style="color:purple;">`export NEXUM_API_KEY='your-api-key-here'`</mark>, replacing <mark style="color:purple;">`your-api-key-here`</mark> with your actual API key.
4. **Save and exit:** Press Ctrl+O to write changes, followed by Ctrl+X to close the editor.
5. **Load your profile:** Use the command <mark style="color:purple;">`source ~/.bash_profile`</mark> or <mark style="color:purple;">`source ~/.zshrc`</mark> to load the updated profile.
6. **Verification:** Verify the setup by typing `echo $NEXUM_API_KEY` in the terminal. It should display your API key.

**Windows**

1. **Open command prompt:** You can find it by searching "cmd" in the start menu.
2. **Set permanent environment variable:** Add the variable through the system properties as follows:
   1. Right-click on *This PC* or *My Computer* and select *Properties*.
   2. Click on *Advanced system settings*.
   3. Click the *Environment Variables* button
   4. In the *System variables* section, click *New\..* and enter <mark style="color:purple;">`NEXUM_API_KEY`</mark> as the variable name and your API key as the variable value
3. **Verification:** To verify the setup, open a new command prompt and type the command below: <mark style="color:purple;">`echo %NEXUM_API_KEY%`</mark>, it should display your API key.

**Sending an API request**

After you have Node.js configured and set up an API key, the final step is to send a request to the NexumAPI Playground. To do this, create a file named <mark style="color:purple;">`naas-test.js`</mark> using the terminal / command line or an IDE.

Inside the file, copy and paste the example below:

```javascript
import fetch from 'node-fetch';

const body = {
    "AccountNumber": "13824",
    "Credentials": {
        "AdministrativeCredentials": {
            "Password": "suwn37834b91&"
        }
    }
};
const response = await fetch('https://naas.ymcu.libum.io/nexum/627/2022.01/account/getAccount', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
        "Authorization": `Bearer ${process.env.NEXUM_API_KEY}`,
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify(body),
});
const data = await response.json();

console.log(data);
```

To run the code, enter <mark style="color:purple;">`node naas-test.js`</mark> into the terminal / command line. You should see the following in the console:

```json
{
    "Account": {
        "ActivityDate": "2010-04-25",
        "AlternateAddress": [
            {
                "AlternateAddress": "SETH A ZAMORA",
                "EntryId": "1"
            },
            {
                "AlternateAddress": "8479 M ST",
                "EntryId": "2"
            },
// ...
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Postman" %}
Postman is an API platform that can be used to quickly test request payloads against an API. We'll create a sample <mark style="color:purple;">`POST`</mark> request to NaaS.

**Install Postman**

Postman can be accessed through the browser of your choice or can be downloaded using their [official downloads page](https://www.postman.com/downloads/).

**Set up your API key**

Follow the steps below to persist your API key across any request through the use of *Environments* in Postman.

1. Navigate to the *Environments* tab and select *Globals*.
2. Add a new Variable, <mark style="color:purple;">`nexum_api_key`</mark> and set both the <mark style="color:purple;">`Initial value`</mark> and <mark style="color:purple;">`Current value`</mark> to your API key.

   <figure><img src="/files/h4wCI4yz3ANLF167GRMe" alt=""><figcaption><p>Global environment variables on the Environments tab in Postman.</p></figcaption></figure>
3. You can now access your API key anywhere in Postman via <mark style="color:purple;">`{{nexum_api_key}}`</mark>.

**Sending an API request**

If you haven't already, create a *Collection* for all your NexumAPI Playground requests and configure the *Authorization* tab to set a Bearer token for every request like the following:

<figure><img src="/files/wNsjCdhShSdmdKM6gR6Z" alt=""><figcaption><p>Setting Bearer Token authorization to use API key within a Collection on the NexumAPI Playground workspace in Postman.</p></figcaption></figure>

Next, you can select *Add a request* with the following attributes:

* **Method:** <mark style="color:purple;">`POST`</mark>
* **URL:** <mark style="color:purple;">`https://naas.ymcu.libum.io/nexum/627/2022.01/account/getAccount`</mark>
* **Body:** Select <mark style="color:purple;">`raw`</mark> and <mark style="color:purple;">`JSON`</mark> and paste the following block:

```json
{
    "AccountNumber": "13824",
    "Credentials": {
        "AdministrativeCredentials": {
            "Password": "suwn37834b91&"
        }
    }
}
```

Finally, click *Send* and you should receive the following response:

```json
{
    "Account": {
        "ActivityDate": "2010-04-25",
        "AlternateAddress": [
            {
                "AlternateAddress": "SETH A ZAMORA",
                "EntryId": "1"
            },
            {
                "AlternateAddress": "8479 M ST",
                "EntryId": "2"
            },
// ...
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


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