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

# Quickstart

> Make your first request to the Elite Prospects API.

## 1. Get an API key

API keys are issued through Elite Prospects. Contact <a href="mailto:api@eliteprospects.com">[api@eliteprospects.com](mailto:api@eliteprospects.com)</a> to request access.

## 2. Make a request

Authenticate by passing your key as the `apiKey` query parameter. There are no auth headers — every public request includes `apiKey=...` in the URL.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash curl theme={null}
  curl "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/leagues?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY&limit=5"
  ```

  ```javascript Node.js theme={null}
  const response = await fetch(
    "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/leagues?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY&limit=5"
  );
  const { data, _meta } = await response.json();
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import requests

  response = requests.get(
      "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/leagues",
      params={"apiKey": "YOUR_API_KEY", "limit": 5},
  )
  data = response.json()
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## 3. Read the response

Every list endpoint returns the same envelope shape:

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": [
    { "id": 1, "name": "NHL", "..." }
  ],
  "_meta": {
    "generatedAt": "2026-05-11T12:00:00Z",
    "url": "/api/v1/leagues?apiKey=...&limit=5",
    "offset": 0,
    "limit": 5,
    "totalRecords": 1234
  },
  "_links": { "next": "...", "prev": "..." }
}
```

`data` holds the records, `_meta` describes the page (with `totalRecords` reflecting matches after access filtering), and `_links` provides pagination links.

## 4. Try a few more endpoints

```bash theme={null}
# Search across players, teams, leagues, staff
curl "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/search?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY&query=mcdavid"

# Single player
curl "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/players/8478402?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY"

# A player's career stats
curl "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/players/8478402/stats?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY"

# Team roster
curl "https://api.eliteprospects.com/v1/teams/120/roster?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY"
```

## Next steps

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/authentication">
    Where the key goes and how to keep it safe.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Conventions" icon="sliders" href="/conventions">
    Pagination, sorting, field selection.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Coverage" icon="map" href="/coverage">
    What your plan unlocks.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Every endpoint, every parameter.
  </Card>
</Columns>