> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.x.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Make Your First Request
> Get up and running with the X API in minutes
export const Button = ({href, children}) => {
return ;
};
This guide walks you through making your first X API request. You'll need a [developer account with app credentials](/x-api/getting-started/getting-access) before starting.
***
## Quick start with cURL
The fastest way to test the API is with cURL. Let's look up a user:
```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/xdevelopers" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
```
Replace `$BEARER_TOKEN` with your actual Bearer Token. You'll get a response like:
```json theme={null}
{
"data": {
"id": "2244994945",
"name": "X Developers",
"username": "xdevelopers"
}
}
```
***
## Step-by-step guide
In the [Developer Console](https://console.x.com), navigate to your app and copy the Bearer Token.
Start with one of these beginner-friendly endpoints:
| Endpoint | What it does |
| :------------------------------------------------ | :--------------------------------- |
| [User lookup](/x-api/users/lookup/introduction) | Get user profile by username or ID |
| [Post lookup](/x-api/posts/lookup/introduction) | Get post by ID |
| [Recent search](/x-api/posts/search/introduction) | Search posts from the last 7 days |
Use cURL, Postman, or your preferred HTTP client:
```bash theme={null}
# Look up a user by username
curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/xdevelopers" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
```
Responses are JSON. The primary data is in the `data` field:
```json theme={null}
{
"data": {
"id": "2244994945",
"name": "X Developers",
"username": "xdevelopers"
}
}
```
***
## Request more data with fields
By default, endpoints return minimal fields. Use the `fields` parameter to request additional data:
```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/xdevelopers?user.fields=created_at,description,public_metrics" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
```
Response:
```json theme={null}
{
"data": {
"id": "2244994945",
"name": "X Developers",
"username": "xdevelopers",
"created_at": "2013-12-14T04:35:55.000Z",
"description": "The voice of the X Developer Platform",
"public_metrics": {
"followers_count": 570842,
"following_count": 2048,
"tweet_count": 14052,
"listed_count": 1672
}
}
}
```
[Learn more about fields →](/x-api/fundamentals/fields)
***
## More examples
```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.x.com/2/tweets/1460323737035677698?tweet.fields=created_at,public_metrics" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
```
```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.x.com/2/tweets/search/recent?query=from:xdevelopers&tweet.fields=created_at" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
```
```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/2244994945/tweets?max_results=5" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
```
***
## Using code instead of cURL
```python theme={null}
import requests
bearer_token = "YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN"
url = "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/xdevelopers"
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {bearer_token}"}
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
print(response.json())
```
```javascript theme={null}
const bearerToken = "YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN";
const url = "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/xdevelopers";
fetch(url, {
headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${bearerToken}` }
})
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));
```
For production use, we recommend the official SDKs:
* [Python SDK](/xdks/python/overview)
* [TypeScript SDK](/xdks/typescript/overview)
They handle authentication, pagination, and rate limiting automatically.
***
## Tools for testing
Visual API testing with our collection.
Examples in multiple languages.
Full endpoint documentation.
***
## Troubleshooting
* Check that your Bearer Token is correct
* Ensure the token hasn't been regenerated
* Verify the `Authorization` header format: `Bearer YOUR_TOKEN`
* Your app may not have access to this endpoint
* Some endpoints require user-context authentication (OAuth 1.0a or 2.0)
* Check your app's permissions in the Developer Console
* You've hit a rate limit
* Check the `x-rate-limit-reset` header for when to retry
* Implement exponential backoff in your code
[Full error reference →](/x-api/fundamentals/response-codes-and-errors)
***
## Next steps
Understand OAuth for user-context requests.
Discover what you can build.
Faster development with official libraries.
Ideas for what to create.