Grok API Quickstart

Welcome! In this guide, we'll walk you through the basics of using the xAI API, from creating an account to making your first request.

Step 1: Create an xAI account

Step 2: Generate an API key

Create an API key via the API Keys page, then export it or add it as an environment variable.

export XAI_API_KEY="your_api_key"

Or add it to a .env file in your project directory:

XAI_API_KEY=your_api_key

Step 3: Install an SDK

Pick your language and install the SDK:

pip install xai-sdk

pip install openai

npm install ai @ai-sdk/xai zod

npm install openai

Step 4: Make your first request

Send a coding prompt to Grok Build (grok-4.7) and get a response. The same model powers agentic coding in Grok Build and is available on the API in early access:

curl https://api.x.ai/v1/responses \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $XAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "grok-4.7",
    "input": "Fix this function and explain the bug: function median(a){a.sort();return a[a.length/2]}"
  }'

import os
from xai_sdk import Client
from xai_sdk.chat import user

client = Client(api_key=os.getenv("XAI_API_KEY"))

chat = client.chat.create(model="grok-4.7")
chat.append(user("Fix this function and explain the bug: function median(a){a.sort();return a[a.length/2]}"))

print(chat.sample().content)

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="<YOUR_XAI_API_KEY_HERE>",
    base_url="https://api.x.ai/v1",
)

response = client.responses.create(
    model="grok-4.7",
    input="Fix this function and explain the bug: function median(a){a.sort();return a[a.length/2]}",
)

print(response.output_text)

import { xai } from '@ai-sdk/xai';
import { generateText } from 'ai';

const { text } = await generateText({
  model: xai.responses('grok-4.7'),
  prompt: 'Fix this function and explain the bug: function median(a){a.sort();return a[a.length/2]}',
});

console.log(text);

import OpenAI from 'openai';

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: process.env.XAI_API_KEY,
  baseURL: 'https://api.x.ai/v1',
});

const response = await client.responses.create({
  model: 'grok-4.7',
  input: 'Fix this function and explain the bug: function median(a){a.sort();return a[a.length/2]}',
});

console.log(response.output_text);

For multi-turn chat, reasoning, and structured outputs, see the Text Generation Guide. For agentic coding workflows, see the Grok Build overview. For AI teammates on a cloud computer, see Grok Bot.

Step 5: Generate an image

Use the Imagine API to generate images from text prompts:

import os
import xai_sdk

client = xai_sdk.Client(api_key=os.getenv("XAI_API_KEY"))

response = client.image.sample(
    prompt="A futuristic city skyline at sunset",
    model="grok-imagine-image-2.0",
)

print(response.url)

import os
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key=os.getenv("XAI_API_KEY"),
    base_url="https://api.x.ai/v1",
)

response = client.images.generate(
    model="grok-imagine-image-2.0",
    prompt="A futuristic city skyline at sunset",
)

print(response.data[0].url)

import { xai } from '@ai-sdk/xai';
import { generateImage } from 'ai';

const { image } = await generateImage({
  model: xai.image('grok-imagine-image-2.0'),
  prompt: 'A futuristic city skyline at sunset',
});

console.log(image.base64);

import OpenAI from 'openai';

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: process.env.XAI_API_KEY,
  baseURL: 'https://api.x.ai/v1',
});

const response = await client.images.generate({
  model: 'grok-imagine-image-2.0',
  prompt: 'A futuristic city skyline at sunset',
});

console.log(response.data[0].url);

curl -X POST https://api.x.ai/v1/images/generations \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $XAI_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "grok-imagine-image-2.0",
    "prompt": "A futuristic city skyline at sunset"
  }'

For more advanced use cases like batch generation, aspect ratio control, and image editing, check out the Image Generation Guide.

What's next

Now that you've made your first request, explore what Grok can do:

CodeAgentic coding with grok-4.7 across the API and CLIExplore ChatMulti-turn conversations, reasoning, structured outputs, and streamingExplore ImagesGenerate, edit, and understand images with Grok modelsExplore VideoCreate, extend, and edit videos from prompts or reference imagesExplore VoiceBuild realtime voice agents with Speech to Speech capabilitiesExplore

Resources

Streaming - Stream responses in real time
Files & Collections - Upload documents and build RAG pipelines
Tools - Web search, X search, code execution, and function calling
Models - Compare available models and their capabilities
Pricing - Tools, batch API, and other platform pricing
Grok Bot - AI teammates on a persistent cloud computer
Grok Build - Agentic coding CLI and API

Last updated:August 18, 2026