Quickstart

Go from an API key to a live documentation site in a few minutes.

Before You Start

You need an API key from the dashboard. See Authentication. The cURL steps use jq to read ids from responses. The JavaScript steps build one script, such as quickstart.mjs, for Node 18 or later.

Check the Key

Put your key in an environment variable, then ask the API who you are.



export MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY="mnfst_api_…"

curl https://api.manifestx.dev/v1/me \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY"
const API = 'https://api.manifestx.dev/v1'
const headers = {
  Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY}`,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json',
}

const me = await fetch(`${API}/me`, { headers }).then((r) => r.json())
console.log(me.account.name)

A 200 with your account's name means the key works.

Create a Project

source_id is your own id for this project, such as a record id in your system. Keep the new project's id for the next steps.

Subdomains are unique across all of Manifest, so acme-docs may already be taken. Replace it with your own, or leave subdomain out to get a free one made from name.



PROJECT_ID=$(curl -s -X POST https://api.manifestx.dev/v1/projects \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "source_id": "site_8231", "name": "Acme Docs", "subdomain": "acme-docs" }' \
  | jq -r .project.id)

echo $PROJECT_ID
const { project } = await fetch(`${API}/projects`, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers,
  body: JSON.stringify({ source_id: 'site_8231', name: 'Acme Docs', subdomain: 'acme-docs' }),
}).then((r) => r.json())

const projectId = project.id

The answer is 201 Created:

{
  "project": {
    "id": "proj_…",
    "source_id": "site_8231",
    "name": "Acme Docs",
    "plan": "free",
    "status": "active",
    "project_key_prefix": "mfst_free_AbCd1234",
    "created_at": 1792138921,
    "urls": {
      "production": "https://acme-docs.manifestx.ai",
      "staging": "https://acme-docs-staging.manifestx.ai"
    },
    "published": { "production": false, "staging": false }
  },
  "project_key": "mfst_free_…",
  "request_id": "…"
}

You can ignore project_key for now. See Projects.

A 409 subdomain_taken means someone else has that subdomain. Pick another and send the create again. If any step answers an error, see Common Problems.

Send the Content

Two Markdown pages, listed under two groups, become a documentation site.



curl -X POST https://api.manifestx.dev/v1/projects/$PROJECT_ID/content \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: acme-help-sync-1" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template": "docs",
    "site": { "name": "Acme Help", "description": "Answers for Acme customers." },
    "articles": [
      { "group": "Getting started", "title": "Welcome", "slug": "welcome", "markdown": "Hello from Acme." },
      { "group": "Billing", "title": "Invoices", "slug": "invoices", "markdown": "## Download\n\nUse the portal." }
    ]
  }'
const content = await fetch(`${API}/projects/${projectId}/content`, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { ...headers, 'Idempotency-Key': 'acme-help-sync-1' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    template: 'docs',
    site: { name: 'Acme Help', description: 'Answers for Acme customers.' },
    articles: [
      { group: 'Getting started', title: 'Welcome', slug: 'welcome', markdown: 'Hello from Acme.' },
      { group: 'Billing', title: 'Invoices', slug: 'invoices', markdown: '## Download\n\nUse the portal.' },
    ],
  }),
}).then((r) => r.json())

console.log(content.url)

{
  "deployment": { "id": "dep_…", "env": "staging", "status": "ready", "files": 10, "bytes": 26537 },
  "template": { "name": "docs", "version": "0.1.2" },
  "url": "https://acme-docs-staging.manifestx.ai",
  "request_id": "…"
}

Open Staging

The site is live at url as soon as the request returns. The Invoices page is at /docs/billing/invoices on that address. The production address still says "This site hasn't been published yet."

Staging isn't private. Search engines skip it, but anyone with its address can open it, so treat it as a preview, not a place for secrets.

Promote

Once staging looks right, make it live.



curl -X POST https://api.manifestx.dev/v1/projects/$PROJECT_ID/promote \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: acme-help-promote-1"
const promoted = await fetch(`${API}/projects/${projectId}/promote`, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { ...headers, 'Idempotency-Key': 'acme-help-promote-1' },
}).then((r) => r.json())

console.log(promoted.url)

{
  "deployment": { "id": "dep_…", "env": "production", "files": 10 },
  "live_deployment_id": "dep_…",
  "url": "https://acme-docs.manifestx.ai",
  "prerender": { "status": "pending" },
  "request_id": "…"
}

The site now answers at the production url. In the background, Manifest also prerenders its pages to static HTML, and swaps that version in when it's done. See Publish.

Clean Up

When you're done trying it, delete the project to free its place in your allowance.



curl -X DELETE https://api.manifestx.dev/v1/projects/$PROJECT_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MANIFEST_ACCOUNT_KEY"
await fetch(`${API}/projects/${projectId}`, { method: 'DELETE', headers })

Next Steps

Update the site by sending new content whenever the pages change. Each request replaces the whole site on staging.
Use your own domain with Domains.
Publish your own build instead with Publish.
Get notified when a publish finishes with Webhooks.