Getting Started Guides for Developer Portals

Getting started guides are the most critical pages in a developer portal, guiding developers from zero to first API call in under 5 minutes. Learn how to write quickstarts that reduce time to first successful integration.

What You'll Learn

You will learn how to write effective getting started guides, structure quickstarts for maximum success, and reduce the time from first visit to first API call.

Why It Matters

The getting started guide is the most visited page in any developer portal. If developers cannot make their first API call quickly, they abandon the integration. A good quickstart converts visitors into active API users.

Real-World Use

The Durga Antivirus Pro threat intelligence API quickstart gets developers to their first threat data query in under 3 minutes. It includes copy-paste curl commands and a Python script that works with the sandbox API key.

flowchart LR
  A[Visit Portal] --> B[Getting Started Guide]
  B --> C[Get API Key]
  C --> D[Copy Code Example]
  D --> E[Run in Terminal]
  E --> F[First Successful Call]
  F --> G[Explore Further]
  A:::current
  classDef current fill:#f90,color:#fff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Quickstart Structure

# Getting Started with the Threat Intelligence API

This guide will help you make your first API call in under 5 minutes.

## Prerequisites

- A terminal or command prompt
- curl installed (check with `curl --version`)
- A text editor (optional)

## Step 1: Get Your API Key

1. Sign up at [developer.durgaantivirus.com](https://developer.durgaantivirus.com)
2. Navigate to Dashboard > API Keys
3. Click "Create API Key"
4. Copy the key (it starts with "dga_")

## Step 2: Make Your First Request

Run this curl command in your terminal:

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.durgaantivirus.com/v1/threats?limit=3" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dga_your_api_key_here"

Expected response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "thr_abc123",
      "name": "Trojan.Generic.12345",
      "severity": "high",
      "detected_at": "2026-06-28T10:30:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "total": 1,
  "page": 1
}

Step 3: Try with Python

import requests

API_KEY = "dga_your_api_key_here"
url = "https://api.durgaantivirus.com/v1/threats"
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"}
params = {"limit": 3}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params)
print(response.json())

Step 4: What's Next

• View the full API Reference
• Learn about Authentication
• Explore SDKs and Libraries

## Sandbox Environment

Provide a sandbox API key and sandbox base URL for testing:

```yaml
sandbox:
  base_url: "https://sandbox.api.durgaantivirus.com/v1"
  api_key: "dga_sandbox_key_here"
  rate_limit: "1000 requests per hour"

Common Mistakes

1. Too Many Prerequisites

The quickstart should require only what is absolutely necessary. Eliminate steps that are not essential for the first API call.

2. No Copy-Paste Code

Every code example should be copy-paste ready. Include placeholder values that are clearly marked.

3. Skipping API Key Creation

API key creation is the most common friction point. Include exact navigation paths and screenshots.

4. No Expected Output

Developers need to know what a successful response looks like. Show the exact expected output.

5. Assuming Developer Knowledge

Do not assume developers know your terminology. Explain each step as if the reader is new to your platform.

Practice Questions

1. What is the goal of a getting started guide?

To get developers from their first visit to a successful API call in under 5 minutes.

2. Why should the quickstart have minimal prerequisites?

Each prerequisite is a barrier to the first API call. Remove any that are not essential.

3. What should every code example in a quickstart include?

Copy-paste ready code with clearly marked placeholder values and the expected output.

4. Why is a sandbox environment important for getting started?

A sandbox lets developers experiment without risk, using test data and rate limits.

5. Challenge: Write a getting started guide for a sample API. Include prerequisites, API key creation, a curl example, a Python example, expected output, and a what's next section. Time yourself: the guide should enable a first API call in under 5 minutes.

FAQ

Mini Project

Write a getting started guide for an API that you use or create a sample API. Include prerequisites, API key setup, a curl example with expected output, a Python example with expected output, and a clear what's next section. Test the guide by having someone follow it and measuring the time to first API call.

What's Next

After the quickstart, learn about SDKs and Libraries to help developers integrate with your API using their preferred programming language.