SOP 001: Get API Key

Fresh 🌱

Document ID: SOP-001
Version: 1.0
Status: Active

Objective

Obtain your Poe API key to authenticate external applications with the Poe API.

Prerequisites

• A Poe account (create one at poe.com if needed)
• Web browser

Procedure

Step 1: Navigate to API Key Page

1. Open your web browser
2. Go to: https://poe.com/api_key
3. Log in if prompted

Step 2: Copy Your API Key

1. Your API key will be displayed on the page
2. It looks like: hxbFDCpJQ70H4heUw3r6AUugvIW5CvN2fMrLr_9VWj4
3. Click the copy button or manually select and copy the entire key
4. Important: Copy the entire key - it's a long string

Step 3: Store Securely

Store your API key securely:

Option A: Environment Variable (Recommended)

# Windows PowerShell
$env:POE_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

# Linux/Mac
export POE_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

Option B: Configuration File

# config.py (add to .gitignore!)
POE_API_KEY = "your_api_key_here"

Option C: .env File

# .env (add to .gitignore!)
POE_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Verification

Verify your API key is accessible:

import os

# Check if environment variable is set
api_key = os.getenv("POE_API_KEY")
if api_key:
    print(f"✓ API key found (length: {len(api_key)})")
    print(f"✓ First 10 chars: {api_key[:10]}...")
else:
    print("✗ API key not found in environment")

Important Notes

Security Warning

• Never commit your API key to version control
• Never share your API key publicly
• Never hardcode your API key in client-side code
• The API key gives access to your entire point balance

API Key Scope

• API keys are associated with your user account
• Points are deducted from your account when using the API
• Rate limit: 500 requests per minute per user

Troubleshooting

Problem: Can't access poe.com/api_key
Solution:

• Make sure you're logged into your Poe account
• Try logging out and back in
• Clear browser cache

Problem: API key appears invalid
Solution:

• Make sure you copied the entire key (no truncation)
• Check for extra spaces before/after
• Generate a new key if needed

Problem: "Insufficient points" error
Solution:

• Check your Poe account balance
• Each API call consumes compute points
• Purchase more points if needed

See Also

• SOP 002: Install Dependencies
• SOP 003: Basic Query
• Quick Reference: Commands

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Next: 002: Install Dependencies