Getting an API Key

You need credentials. Two solid options:

OpenAI: Go to platform.openai.com, sign up or log in, navigate to API keys, create a new one. Store it somewhere safe (you'll use it in your workflow). You'll pay per API call based on tokens consumed. Start with a free trial credit; after that, add a payment method. Good models for automation: GPT-4o-mini (cheap, capable) or GPT-4o (slightly more capable, slightly more expensive).

Anthropic: Go to console.anthropic.com, create an account, generate an API key. Same approach. Anthropic's Claude Haiku is extremely cheap and handles most automation tasks reliably. Claude 3.5 Sonnet is their flagship.

Pick one to start. You can use both later if you want to compare models or costs. For now, either works fine.

Store your API key in a secure place — a password manager, a secrets manager built into your automation platform. Never commit it to git. Never paste it in Slack or email. Treat it like a password.