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This quickstart runs the whole flow once: an API key, an environment, an agent, and a session that writes a short file. Each step shows the console and the matching cURL request, so you can follow either path. It takes about 10 minutes.
Sign in to the Recursion console. If this is your first sign-in, Recursion creates your tenant and its Default organization. You need the organization developer or admin role to create agents and environments and to start sessions; see Organizations and roles. Your tenant needs credits to start a session. If it has none, a billing manager can add them on Billing; Pricing explains what a session hour costs. Creating the agent and environment does not start paid work.
The sign-in page links to the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Copyright Dispute Policy.

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1. Create an API key

Skip this step if you use only the console.
  1. In the Recursion console, open Settings and choose API keys, then click Create key.
  2. Enter a Name, such as quickstart, and keep the default Expires value.
  3. Set Scope to the Default organization, then click Create key.
  4. Copy the key. It starts with rma_ and is shown only once.
Store it in an environment variable for the requests below:
An organization-scoped key needs no other header. See API keys for scopes and rotation.

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2. Create an environment

An environment is where the session’s sandbox runs. This one uses the default compute and has no internet access, which is enough for a task that only writes a file.
  1. In the sidebar, click Environments, then click Create environment.
  2. Enter a Name, such as quickstart.
  3. Click Create environment.
The response is the environment. Save its environment_id. Some fields are left out here:
See Environments to add internet access, a setup script, or more compute.

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3. Create an agent

An agent is a model with a system prompt, saved as a version that sessions run.
  1. In the sidebar, click Agents, then click Create agent.
  2. Under Choose a starting point, click Blank.
  3. Under General, enter a Name, choose a Model such as Claude Sonnet 5, and write a System prompt, such as You are a concise writing assistant.
  4. Click Create agent.
The response is the agent with its first version. Save its agent_id. Some fields are left out here:
Your organization can use only the models that list returns. See Agent setup to add tools, skills, and credentials.

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4. Start a session

A session runs the agent in the environment on the task in its opening message.
  1. In the sidebar, click Sessions, then click Launch session.
  2. Under Configuration, select your Agent and Environment.
  3. Under Task, write the Opening message: Write a four-line poem about sandboxes and save it as poem.md.
  4. Click Launch session. The session opens while its sandbox starts.
The request returns 202 Accepted right away. The agent works in the background:
Idempotency-Key is required, so a retried request never starts a second session. Use a new key for each new session. If launch is refused because no credits are available, ask someone who manages billing to add credits, then try again. Your agent and environment remain saved.

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5. Read the reply

Read the Transcript as the agent works. It shows messages, tool calls, and results. The session header shows its status and cost. Open the Files tab to preview or download poem.md.
In the event list, the agent’s reply is a message event with role set to assistant. Some fields are left out here:
When the agent finishes, the session’s status is completed and stop_reason is end_turn. To continue the work, send a follow-up message. See Sessions and Events.
In the console, you can also start from a template. On Agents, click Create agent and choose Issue fixer or PR reviewer. Enable the template’s required tools on the organization GitHub connection, then choose the agent’s tools and repositories. The template creates the agent and a matching environment, and opens the launch form with a suggested task.

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Next steps

Build in the console

Learn where agents, environments, credentials, and sessions live.

API conventions

Learn the shared rules for retries, paging, and errors.

Connect your apps

Let agents work in GitHub, Slack, and other apps.

Automate sessions

Run the same agent on a schedule or when an event arrives.