> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developer.runa.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Introduction to the API reference documentation

This section documents the API endpoints available in the Runa API. The API follows RESTful patterns and provides a set of endpoints for interacting with the Runa platform. Each endpoint is documented in a page with a description of its purpose, the HTTP method to use, the URL path, and the request and response formats.

## Environments

<CardGroup cols={2} rows={1}>
  <Card title="Production" icon="gear">
    The production API is the live environment where you can process real
    transactions. The base URL for the production API is:

    <br />

    **`https://api.runa.io/v2`**
  </Card>

  <Card title="Playground" icon="puzzle-piece-simple">
    A simulated environment where you can experiment with the API without real
    transactions or expenses. It is available at:

    <br />

    **`https://playground.runa.io/v2`**
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  Do note that the playground environment is not a complete replica of the
  production environment. Some endpoints are not available in the playground,
  and some features may behave differently. See the [playground
  reference](/reference/2024-02-05/playground) for more information.
</Info>

## Requests & Responses

### Authentication

All API endpoints are authenticated using API keys. You can generate API keys in the Runa web app. The API key must be included in the `X-Api-Key` header of each request.

```http theme={null}
X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY
```

See the [authentication guide](/best-practices/authentication) for more information on how to create and use API keys. The keys used for production and playground environments are different. You can tell which type of key you have by the prefix. Production keys start with `wg` whereas playground keys start with `xx`.

Once you're ready to start using production your should refer to the [security best practices guide](/best-practices/security) to ensure you're using and storing your keys securely.

### Responses

API responses can vary in type but will be consistent per HTTP status code. You should use the HTTP status code to determine how to interpret the response.

<Frame caption="The status code dropdown in the response section switches between the different response types.">
  <img className="block dark:hidden" src="https://mintcdn.com/runa/3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT/assets/screenshots/response-dropdown-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT&q=85&s=40ae2cf909b2f391ce473f87f2b4aadb" width="1858" height="276" data-path="assets/screenshots/response-dropdown-light.png" />

  <img className="hidden dark:block" src="https://mintcdn.com/runa/3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT/assets/screenshots/response-dropdown-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT&q=85&s=cca26476e69d5e9954026065bf4d67be" width="1858" height="266" data-path="assets/screenshots/response-dropdown-dark.png" />
</Frame>

For example the `POST /v2/order` response returns a different structure for the
`200 OK` and `202 Accepted` status codes. The `200 OK` response returns the
whole order object, while the `202 Accepted` response returns a minimal object
containing only the order ID and status when using the `async` ordering mode.

Error status code starting `4xx` and `5xx` have a consistent error response structure. See the guide on [handling errors](/best-practices/handling-errors) for more information and best practices on how to handle errors.

## Test endpoints in the browser

<img className="inline dark:hidden m-0 ml-4 mb-4 h-10" align="right" src="https://mintcdn.com/runa/3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT/assets/screenshots/try-it-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT&q=85&s=cef59f53e6e5a1c3d88c1deff34ee525" width="211" height="94" data-path="assets/screenshots/try-it-light.png" />

<img className="hidden dark:inline m-0 ml-4 mb-4 h-10" align="right" src="https://mintcdn.com/runa/3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT/assets/screenshots/try-it-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3fuhXTcDrFXCr5CT&q=85&s=bb4b53c0c9f6c45a267b6a3e4fbc3bbb" width="211" height="94" data-path="assets/screenshots/try-it-dark.png" />

Using the **try it** button you can interact directly with the Runa API from the
documentation. This is a great way to test the API and see how it works without
having to write any code.

You'll need to provide an API key to use the try it button. The API key is stored in your browser's local storage so it's recommended to use the playground environment and to remove the key when you're done testing.