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

# Quick Start

> Connect to QuantCite's real-time cryptocurrency data in minutes

## Get started in three steps

Connect to our secure WebSocket API and start receiving real-time orderbook data from 52+ active exchanges across 70+ supported platforms with SSL/TLS encryption. Plus access our Unified Transaction APIs for multi-exchange transaction processing.

### Step 1: Get your API key

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="key" title="Obtain API credentials">
    Contact our support team to get your API key with access to:

    * **50GB monthly data limit**
    * **WebSocket-only connections**
    * **Real-time orderbook updates**
    * **52+ active exchanges across 70+ supported platforms**

    Your API key will be in the format: `demo_key_123`
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="chart-line" title="Monitor your usage">
    Track your data consumption in real-time:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl "https://data.quantcite.com/api/v1/data-usage/YOUR_API_KEY"
    ```

    <Tip>Monitor usage regularly to avoid hitting the 50GB monthly limit.</Tip>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Step 2: Connect to WebSocket

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="wifi" title="Establish secure WebSocket connection">
    Connect to our secure WebSocket endpoint:

    ```
    wss://data.quantcite.com/api/v1/ws
    ```

    **Note:** Authentication is now done via WebSocket message, not URL parameter for enhanced security.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="handshake" title="Authenticate your session">
    After connecting, send an authentication message:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "type": "authenticate",
      "api_key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
    }
    ```

    You'll receive a welcome message with session ID and tier information.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Step 3: Subscribe to data

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="chart-candlestick" title="Subscribe to orderbook updates">
    Subscribe to real-time orderbook data for any trading pair:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "type": "subscribe_aggregated",
      "symbol": "BTC/USDT",
      "exchanges": ["binance", "okx", "bybit"]
    }
    ```

    Or subscribe to all available exchanges:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "type": "subscribe_aggregated", 
      "symbol": "BTC/USDT",
      "exchanges": "all"
    }
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="stream" title="Receive real-time updates">
    Start receiving continuous orderbook updates:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "type": "aggregated_orderbook_update",
      "symbol": "BTC/USDT",
      "data": {
        "bids": [...],
        "asks": [...],
        "market_stats": {
          "best_bid": 113393.9,
          "best_ask": 113400.0,
          "spread": 6.1
        }
      }
    }
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

Now that you're connected, explore these integration options:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Unified Transaction APIs" icon="database" href="/api-reference/unified/overview">
    Process transactions from multiple exchanges in standardized format.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Python Client" icon="python" href="/examples/python">
    Complete Python WebSocket client with async support.
  </Card>

  <Card title="JavaScript Client" icon="js" href="/examples/javascript">
    Node.js WebSocket client for real-time data streaming.
  </Card>

  <Card title="WebSocket Messages" icon="message" href="/websocket/messages">
    Learn about all available message types and responses.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transaction Processing" icon="arrows-rotate" href="/api-reference/unified/transactions">
    Fetch and process cryptocurrency transactions from exchanges.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rate Limits" icon="gauge-high" href="/examples/rate-limits">
    Understand tier-based rate limiting and data usage.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  **Need help?** Check our [API Reference](/api-reference/introduction) for complete documentation.
</Note>