# Quickstart

Make your first email check at api.irondome.dev with a Bearer key. Read the result and handle invalid addresses, quota, and service errors.

Make a server-side email check with an API key and JSON. All requests use `https://api.irondome.dev`.

## 1. Create an API key

[Create an account](https://app.irondome.dev/signup), then open [API keys](https://app.irondome.dev/keys). Copy the full key when shown and save it as the server-side environment variable `IRONDOME_API_KEY`.

Keep keys out of browser code, source control, URLs, and logs. Your authorized plan determines quota and billing; the API origin is the same for every plan.

## 2. Check an email

With `IRONDOME_API_KEY` set, run curl in Bash, zsh, or another POSIX-compatible shell:

```sh
curl --fail-with-body --request POST 'https://api.irondome.dev/v1/check' \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $IRONDOME_API_KEY" \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{"email":"person@example.com"}'
```

A successful request returns HTTP `200`. For example:

```json
{
  "provider": "custom",
  "valid": true,
  "disposable": false,
  "reason": "not_listed"
}
```

The classification depends on the detection data. `not_listed` means no rule matched; it does not guarantee mailbox existence or delivery.

## 3. Apply the result

- For `disposable: true`, ask for a permanent address or apply your signup policy.
- For a successful `disposable: false` result, continue normal verification.
- For HTTP `422 invalid_email`, ask the user to correct the address.
- For other failures, follow [errors](/docs/errors). An unavailable check is not a non-disposable result.

Each successfully classified address consumes one check, including disposable results.

## Next steps

Choose an [SDK](/docs/sdks) and reuse its client. Use the [Supabase Auth integration](/docs/guides/supabase) to screen user creation directly. Read [plans and limits](/docs/plans) for free quota and [bulk checks](/docs/api/bulk) for lists.