# Getting started

Canonical: https://monsterapi.co/docs/getting-started

Read public social-platform data with one base URL and one MonsterAPI key.
Create a key in the [customer account](https://monsterapi.co/account/api-keys), then check the operation’s current credit price.

## First request

Request one TikTok recommendation without an account or publication ID:

```shell
curl --get \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MONSTERAPI_KEY" \
  --data-urlencode "count=1" \
  "https://api.monsterapi.co/tiktok/api/mobile/feed"
```

The response includes raw public fields in `data`, normalized fields in `named`, and an optional `next_cursor`.
Returned content can change. `count` is a page-size hint; the platform can return a different number of records.

## Choose a platform

The base URL is `https://api.monsterapi.co`.

| Platform  | Prefix           | Guide                           |
| --------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Facebook  | `/facebook/api`  | [Facebook](https://monsterapi.co/docs/facebook)           |
| Instagram | `/instagram/api` | [Instagram](https://monsterapi.co/docs/instagram)         |
| LinkedIn  | `/linkedin/api`  | [LinkedIn](https://monsterapi.co/docs/linkedin)           |
| Snapchat  | `/snapchat/api`  | [Snapchat](https://monsterapi.co/docs/snapchat)           |
| Twitch    | `/twitch/api`    | [Twitch](https://monsterapi.co/docs/twitch)               |
| X         | `/twitter/api`   | [X](https://monsterapi.co/docs/twitter)                   |
| TikTok    | `/tiktok/api`    | [TikTok](https://monsterapi.co/docs/tiktok)               |
| YouTube   | `/youtube/api`   | [YouTube](https://monsterapi.co/docs/youtube)             |
| Pinterest | `/pinterest/api` | [API reference](https://monsterapi.co/docs/api/pinterest) |

The [API reference](https://monsterapi.co/docs/api) shows operation inputs, compact response examples, current prices, and availability.
Use a public example preset to start with recorded identifiers. Historical objects can become unavailable.
If an operation needs a fresh cursor or playback permission, use **Prepare example** after checking its price.

## Read one page at a time

Pass `next_cursor` unchanged to the documented continuation operation. Keep the same target and filters.
Stop when the cursor is absent or `null`. Some operations also use a documented terminal `404`.
An empty page with a cursor can have another page. A `5xx` response does not prove that a listing ended.

Keep identifiers as strings. `null` means that this response has no value; it does not mean zero or false.
An operation can include raw fields that have no normalized counterpart. Read its schema before combining values from different sources.

Read [Examples](https://monsterapi.co/docs/examples), [Authentication](https://monsterapi.co/docs/authentication), [Pricing](https://monsterapi.co/docs/pricing), and [Errors](https://monsterapi.co/docs/errors) before sending more requests.