Get your Claude API key and send your first message

Create a free Anthropic account

Go to console.anthropic.com and click Sign up. Use the same email you use for everything because you will come back to this account throughout the challenge. Complete the sign-up and verify your email before continuing.

Create your API key

In the left sidebar, click API Keys. Then click Create Key. Name it my-chatbot-key. This name is just for you to remember what it is for. Click Create and immediately copy the key that appears. It will only be shown once.

Save your key somewhere safe

Paste your key into a safe place right now, like your phone Notes app, a password manager, or a document on your desktop called chatbot-key.txt. Do not put this key in any file inside your website project. Treat it like a password.

Test your key in the Anthropic Workbench

In the Anthropic console left sidebar, click Workbench or API Explorer. This is a built-in testing area where you can chat directly with Claude using your API. Type "Hello, who are you?" and press Send. You should see a real Claude response within a few seconds.

Check your free credit balance

In the console, go to Settings then Billing. You should see a credit balance or usage view. The exact amount and wording may change over time, so do not rely on the lesson text alone. What matters is confirming you have available credit or an active billing setup before Day 2.