# API quickstart
Source: https://docs.file.ai/quickstart/api

> Upload a file and read its structured values in about 5 minutes.

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# API quickstart

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Upload a file and read its structured values in about 5 minutes.

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**What you’ll have at the end:** a document uploaded through the API and its extracted values back as structured JSON, plus the `fileId` you need for every other guide.

**You need:** a fileAI workspace and an API key. Workspace admins create keys in the [fileAI app](https://orion.file.ai/en). Keys only work on the instance that issued them.

1

Set your key and base URL

```
export FILEAI_API_KEY="your-api-key"
export FILEAI_BASE_URL="https://api.orion.file.ai/prod/v1"
```

Using a regional instance? Swap the host. See [Regions](/authentication#regions).Check the connection:

```
curl "$FILEAI_BASE_URL/health-check" -H "x-api-key: $FILEAI_API_KEY"
```

Response

```
{ "message": "Public API is up and running!" }
```

2

Request an upload URL

fileAI uploads go straight to storage. First ask for a presigned URL:

cURL

Python

Node.js

```
curl -X POST "$FILEAI_BASE_URL/files/upload" \
  -H "x-api-key: $FILEAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "fileName": "invoice.pdf", "fileType": "application/pdf" }'
```

```
import os, requests

BASE = os.environ["FILEAI_BASE_URL"]
HEADERS = {"x-api-key": os.environ["FILEAI_API_KEY"]}

upload = requests.post(
    f"{BASE}/files/upload",
    headers=HEADERS,
    json={"fileName": "invoice.pdf", "fileType": "application/pdf"},
).json()
```

```
const BASE = process.env.FILEAI_BASE_URL;
const headers = { "x-api-key": process.env.FILEAI_API_KEY };

const upload = await fetch(`${BASE}/files/upload`, {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { ...headers, "Content-Type": "application/json" },
  body: JSON.stringify({ fileName: "invoice.pdf", fileType: "application/pdf" }),
}).then((r) => r.json());
```

Response

```
{
  "uploadId": "…",
  "presignedUploadURL": "https://…",
  "s3Path": "…"
}
```

3

Upload the file

`PUT` the raw bytes to `presignedUploadURL`. The URL expires after 5 minutes.

```
curl -X PUT "<presignedUploadURL>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" \
  --data-binary @invoice.pdf
```

Processing starts automatically once the upload lands.

4

Track processing

Poll the upload until its steps complete, or skip polling by passing a `callbackURL` when you request the upload ([processing callbacks](/deliver/callbacks)). [Async jobs](/api/async-jobs) compares the two.

```
curl "$FILEAI_BASE_URL/uploads/<uploadId>" -H "x-api-key: $FILEAI_API_KEY"
```

The response lists each processing step in `statuses` and the resulting documents in `files`. Note the `fileId` of your document.

5

Read the structured values

```
curl "$FILEAI_BASE_URL/files/<fileId>/values" -H "x-api-key: $FILEAI_API_KEY"
```

Response (trimmed)

```
{
  "formValues": [
    {
      "fileId": "…",
      "schemaName": "Invoice",
      "fields": [
        { "title": "Supplier", "type": "string", "value": "Northwind Supplies" },
        { "title": "Total due", "type": "number", "value": 4820 }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "count": 1,
  "currentPage": 1
}
```

`formValues` holds one entry per AI Schema, each with its `fields`: the field’s title, type and extracted value. [Data types](/extract/data-types) explains each value shape. To see where a value came from on the page, see [Citations and validations](/verify/citations-validations).

## 

[​

](#next-steps)

Next steps

## Shape the output with AI Schemas

Define exactly which fields you want, across one file or many.

## Large files and batches

Multipart uploads, batch registration and ZIP archives.

## Extract without storing

One-shot extract, split and classify jobs.

## Authentication and regions

API keys, regional base URLs and request conventions.

[Previous](/concepts)[

App quickstart

Create a workspace, upload your first files, confirm an AI Schema and export the results, all in the fileAI app.

Next

](/quickstart/app)

⌘I

## On this page

*   [Next steps](#next-steps)