# Getting Started

Experience powerful API integration with VBASoftware’s REST API platform — now enhanced with AI-ready documentation and MCP support.

This quick tutorial gets you from **credentials → first successful request** in just a few minutes.

## 🎯 5-Minute Tutorial

**Goal:** Authenticate, obtain an ID token, and make your first VBAPI request.

**Prerequisite:**
Your VBA contact will provide:

- `x-api-key`
- `vbasoftware-client-id`
- `vbasoftware-client-code`
- `vbasoftware-database`
- A username/password for authentication


### Step 1 — Authenticate & Get an ID Token

VBAPI uses token-backed authentication.
The first call exchanges your credentials for a **JWT ID Token**, which is then sent as a Bearer token in all subsequent calls.

#### 🔑 Python Example — Get ID Token


```python
import requests
import base64

def get_id_token(username, password):
    url = "https://vbapi.vbasoftware.com/vbasoftware/user-authentication"

    # Encode credentials: "username:password"
    raw = f"{username}:{password}"
    encoded = base64.b64encode(raw.encode()).decode()

    headers = {
        "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY",
        "Authorization": f"Basic {encoded}",
        "vbasoftware-client-id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
        "vbasoftware-client-code": "YOUR_CLIENT_CODE",
        "vbasoftware-database": "YOUR_DATABASE"
    }

    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers)
    response.raise_for_status()

    data = response.json()
    return data["data"]["authenticationResult"]["idToken"]
```

If successful, you’ll receive a standard Cognito JWT:


```
eyJraWQiOiJxT0J6eGJ...
```

### Step 2 — Make an Authenticated API Request

Now call any VBAPI endpoint using your **Bearer token**.

#### 📘 Python Example — First API Call

This example retrieves the **current user profile**.


```python
def get_current_user(id_token):
    url = "https://vbapi.vbasoftware.com/vbasoftware/users/me"

    headers = {
        "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY",
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {id_token}",
        "vbasoftware-database": "YOUR_DATABASE"
    }

    response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()
```

Expected Output


```python
{
  "data": {
    "userId": 12345,
    "username": "jsmith",
    "roles": ["Administrator", "Claims"],
    "status": "Active"
  }
}
```

### You're Ready to Build

You now have:

- Valid authentication
- A working Bearer token
- Your first API call completed