# Get started

> Source: https://pixelsystems.com/docs/get-started


Set up your first application, choose an integration path, and run your first verification.

## Prerequisites

You need an organization and an application before you can create an API key. Getting access to Pixel starts with a conversation; everything after is self-serve:

1. [Contact us](https://pixelsystems.com/contact) or [book a demo](https://pixelsystems.com/book-a-demo).
2. Once you're on board, we set up your organization for you.
3. Decide what you want to verify. Pixel runs different [pipelines](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/concepts#pipeline) for different file types and use cases (for example, AI detection for images, original-capture verification for e-commerce photos, or document authenticity for PDFs); each application gets its pipeline when it is created.
4. From there, everything is self-serve: sign in to the dashboard, create applications, and, where your organization has [API access](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/api/authentication#api-keys), generate API keys.

The rest of this page walks through the self-serve steps.

### Create your first application

An [application](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/concepts#application) scopes jobs, API keys, and settings. Organization admins create applications in the dashboard.

Note the application's `applicationId`: you need it for API calls and client SDK setup.

### Generate an API key (server integrations)

For server-side or direct REST usage, generate an API key for your application in the dashboard. Key creation requires API access for your organization; see [Authentication](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/api/authentication#api-keys). Store it securely and send it as [`Authorization: Bearer <api_key>`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Reference/Headers/Authorization). See [Authentication](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/api/authentication) for details.

## Choose an integration path

Pick the approach that matches where uploads run in your product:

- [REST API](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/api): Call the API from your backend: verify a file in one call.
- [No-code](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/no-code): Upload and review files in the dashboard without writing code.
- [Client SDK](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/sdk/client): TypeScript SDK for browser uploads. Available on request.
- [Server SDK](https://pixelsystems.com/docs/sdk/server): TypeScript SDK for server-side integrations. Available on request.