# Quickstart

URL: https://docs.healthcare.dev/quickstart

## 1. Get an API key

Sign up at [app.healthcare.dev](https://app.healthcare.dev). The Free plan needs no card. Copy
your key when it's shown: we store only a hash, so it's displayed once.

Keys look like `hdev_live_ab12cd34_...` (production) or `hdev_test_...` (same data, lower limits,
never billed).

```sh
export HDEV_API_KEY=hdev_live_...
```

## 2. Make a call

Look up an ICD-10-CM code:

```sh
curl https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/codes/icd10cm/E11.9 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HDEV_API_KEY"
```

```json
{
  "data": {
    "system": "icd10cm",
    "code": "E11.9",
    "display": "Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications",
    "billable": true,
    "parent": "E11",
    "status": "active",
    "effective_start": "2015-10-01",
    "effective_end": null
  },
  "meta": {
    "source": "cms-icd10",
    "data_version": "2026.1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-24T12:00:00Z",
    "license": "Public domain (CMS)"
  }
}
```

## 3. Try the rest

```sh
# Search codes by description
curl "https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/codes/icd10cm?q=type+2+diabetes+kidney&limit=5" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HDEV_API_KEY"

# NDC to RxNorm (any NDC format)
curl https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/drugs/ndc/0093-1048-01 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HDEV_API_KEY"

# What changed in the latest release
curl "https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/changes?dataset=icd10cm" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HDEV_API_KEY"
```

## Use a client instead

**TypeScript SDK**

```sh
npm i @healthcare.dev/sdk
```

```ts
import { HealthcareDev } from "@healthcare.dev/sdk";

const hdev = new HealthcareDev(); // reads HDEV_API_KEY
const { data, meta } = await hdev.codes.get("icd10cm", "E11.9");
console.log(data.display, meta.data_version);
```

**CLI**

```sh
npx @healthcare.dev/cli code icd10 E11.9
```

**MCP** (Claude Code)

```sh
claude mcp add --transport http healthcare-dev https://mcp.healthcare.dev/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $HDEV_API_KEY"
```

Next: [Authentication](/authentication), [Errors](/errors), [API reference](/reference).