Your First Claude API Call in 60 Seconds (Complete Python Guide)

From API key to “Hello, Claude” in five lines of Python. Everything you need to start building with the Claude API. Until now, you’ve been using Claude through its website - like dining at a restaurant. But what if you wanted to build your own restaurant? You’d need direct access to the kitchen. That’s what the API gives you. What Is an API? An API is like the kitchen window at a restaurant. You write your order on a ticket (the request), slide it through the window, the chef processes it, and slides back a plate (the response.