Set your API key
Export your API key as an environment variable. The SDK reads ANTHROPIC_API_KEY automatically.
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"Create a project and install the SDK
mkdir claude-quickstart && cd claude-quickstart
python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
pip install anthropicCreate your code
Create a file called quickstart.py:
import anthropic
client = anthropic.Anthropic()
message = client.messages.create(
model="claude-opus-5",
max_tokens=1000,
messages=[
{
"role": "user",
"content": "What should I search for to find the latest developments in renewable energy?",
}
],
)
for block in message.content:
if block.type == "text":
print(block.text)Run your code
python quickstart.pyHere are some effective search strategies to find the latest developments in renewable energy:
## General Search Terms
- "Renewable energy news 2025"
- ...You made your first API call. Next, learn the Messages API patterns you'll use in every Claude integration.
Learn multi-turn conversations, system prompts, stop reasons, and other core patterns.
Once you're comfortable with the basics, explore further:
Compare Claude models by capability and cost.
Browse all Claude capabilities: tools, context management, structured outputs, and more.
Reference documentation for Python, TypeScript, C#, and other client libraries.
Compare API keys and Workload Identity Federation, and set key expiration.
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