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

# Quickstart

> Make your first authenticated calls and talk to an agent.

This walks through your first few calls with a [personal access token](/get-started/authentication). Export it first:

```bash theme={null}
export HQ_TOKEN="hq_pat_..."
```

<Steps>
  <Step title="Verify your token">
    ```bash theme={null}
    curl https://api.hq.zone/v1/api/me -H "Authorization: Bearer $HQ_TOKEN"
    ```

    Returns your identity, workspace, and onboarding state.
  </Step>

  <Step title="List your agents">
    ```bash theme={null}
    curl https://api.hq.zone/v1/agents -H "Authorization: Bearer $HQ_TOKEN"
    ```

    Each agent has an `id`, `slug`, name, model, and status. Copy an `id` for the next step.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start a conversation">
    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.hq.zone/v1/api/conversations \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer $HQ_TOKEN" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"agent_id":"<AGENT_ID>"}'
    ```

    Returns the new conversation's `id`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send a message">
    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.hq.zone/v1/api/conversations/<CONVERSATION_ID>/messages \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer $HQ_TOKEN" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"text":"Summarize our latest board deck."}'
    ```

    This returns `202 Accepted` with a `stream_url` — the turn runs server-side on the agent's machine.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The reply doesn't come back in that response — you read it live over the event stream.

<Card title="Stream the reply" icon="bolt" href="/guides/streaming-chat">
  Open the conversation's event stream and render the agent's response as it happens.
</Card>