> This page is for Developer.

> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.bigcommerce.com/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.bigcommerce.com/_mcp/server.

# Quick Start

> **Note**
>
> This is archived documentation. For current API getting-started guides, see the [Quick Start](/developer/docs/overview/quick-start).

This quick start guide will take you through making your first requests with BigCommerce's APIs.

## REST Management API

### Create an API account

See the [Guide to API Accounts](/developer/docs/overview/api-fundamentals/api-accounts#api-accounts) for instructions on creating API accounts.

### Use Request Runner

You can experiment with our REST Management APIs using the **Request Runner**, which is built in to the [API Reference](/developer/api-reference/rest/overview) for most endpoints.

Copy and paste your `store_hash` and `access_token` into the form, then click **Send**.

#### Visual Studio Code REST Client

If you use **Visual Studio Code**, another way to make API requests is with the [REST Client](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=humao.rest-client) extension. Once you have it installed, create a new file called `bigcommerce.http` and paste in the following:

```http showLineNumbers={false}
@ACCESS_TOKEN = your_access_token
@STORE_HASH = your_store_hash

###

GET https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{{STORE_HASH}}/v3/catalog/products
X-Auth-Token: {{ACCESS_TOKEN}}
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
```

Save and you'll see the **send request** link above `GET`. Click **send request** and the response will open in a split window.

#### Postman

To try out REST endpoints and view responses, you can import our API specification files into [Postman](https://www.getpostman.com/) or any other tool that can import [Open API Specification](https://swagger.io/specification/) files.

To view sample JSON request bodies for each REST API resource, see the [API Reference](/developer/api-reference/rest/overview) for that resource.

## REST Storefront API quick start

To make your first requests in a browser with the REST Storefront APIs, see the step-by-step tutorial [Working with Storefront Cart and Checkout APIs](/developer/docs/admin/checkout-and-cart/custom-checkouts/rest-storefront).

## GraphQL Storefront API

#### Create a storefront token

This example uses **Request Runner** to make an initial request that creates a Storefront API token. It is a REST API request, so you will need to copy and paste your [API credentials](/developer/docs/overview/api-fundamentals/api-accounts#creating-store-level-api-credentials).

In the `allowed_cors_origins` array, include the URL(s) of the storefront from which you plan to use the token.

**`Example request: Create a storefront token`**

```http title="Example request: Create a storefront token" showLineNumbers={false}
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/storefront/api-token
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json

{
  "channel_id": 1,            // int (only ID 1 currently accepted)
  "expires_at": 1602288000,   // double UTC unix timestamp in seconds (required)
  "allowed_cors_origins": [   // array (accepts 1 origin currently)
    "https://example.com"
  ]
}
```

#### Create a sample request in the browser

While viewing your storefront in a browser, open the developer tools JavaScript console; for example, [Google Chrome's Console](https://developers.google.com/web/tools/chrome-devtools/console). Add your API token to the authorization header in the following code sample and add a valid [Product ID](/developer/api-reference/rest/admin/catalog/products/get-product) for the `entityId`, then run the code in the console:

**`Example query`**

```js title="Example query" showLineNumbers={false}
  fetch('/graphql', {
    method: 'POST',
    mode: 'cors',
    headers: { 
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      'Accept': 'application/json',
      'Authorization': `Bearer {{TOKEN}}`
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      query: `query SingleProduct {
        site {
          products (entityIds: {{product ID}}) {
            edges {
              node {
                id
                entityId
                name
                prices {
                  price {
                    value
                    currencyCode
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }`
    })
  })
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(res => console.log(res))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));
```

## Customer Login API

For more information, see the [Customer Login API Overview](/developer/docs/storefront/guides/customer-authentication/customer-login).