> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.0xarchive.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Free Crypto Data API

> Start with a free 0xArchive key, make one request, and upgrade only when the route or volume requires it.

0xArchive lets you start with a key and a real market-data request before you design a larger pipeline.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an account">
    Open the [dashboard](https://0xarchive.io/dashboard?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=referral\&utm_campaign=docs_referral\&utm_content=free_crypto_data_api_create_key) and create an API key.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the quickstart request">
    Use [Quickstart](/quickstart) to call a Hyperliquid BTC order-book route.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the route family">
    Use [Venue coverage](/venue-coverage) before moving beyond the first request.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Watch limits">
    Use [Rate limits](/rate-limits) before a script widens to more symbols or history.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Make the first authenticated request.
  </Card>

  <Card title="REST API" icon="square-terminal" href="/rest-api">
    Browse route families and examples.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What To Test First

Use a free key to confirm the integration path, not to design an unlimited production job. Start with one current order-book request, confirm the response envelope, and preserve `meta.request_id`. Then choose whether the real task needs history, streaming, SDKs, CLI, MCP Server, Skill, or OpenAPI code generation.

## Free-Key Test Checklist

Keep the first test small and explicit.

| Field           | Starter value                                                                                         |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Route family    | Hyperliquid core                                                                                      |
| Request         | `/v1/hyperliquid/orderbook/BTC`                                                                       |
| Auth            | `X-API-Key` from `OXARCHIVE_API_KEY`                                                                  |
| Response fields | `success`, `data.symbol`, `data.bids`, `data.asks`, `meta.request_id`                                 |
| Next check      | [Venue coverage](/venue-coverage), then [Rate limits](/rate-limits) and [Data quality](/data-quality) |

After the starter request works, repeat the same checklist for the actual family you need: Spot pair, HIP-3 symbol, HIP-4 outcome side, or Lighter market.

## Upgrade Signals

You are ready to evaluate a paid plan when the route family is correct and the workflow needs more volume, concurrency, history depth, replay, L3/L4, or production reliability. Use [Rate limits](/rate-limits) and the pricing page before widening a script across symbols or long windows.

## Do Not Use The Starter Path For

Do not use a starter key as the design point for long-running production systems, broad historical backfills, high-concurrency crawlers, replay-heavy workflows, L3/L4 reconstruction, or customer-facing exports. Those jobs should start with route coverage, rate and credit limits, data-quality gates, and commercial fit.

## Supported Jobs

0xArchive is strongest for supported venue market data: Hyperliquid core, Hyperliquid Spot, HIP-3, HIP-4, and Lighter. It is not a replacement for generic RPC infrastructure, onchain wallet indexing, broad CEX catalogs, or execution APIs.

## Practical Boundary

The free path is for proving fit. Use it to decide whether 0xArchive supports the venue family, symbol format, and data family you need. Once the workflow depends on repeated calls, long history, multiple symbols, replay, L3/L4, or a production SLA, move the conversation to plan limits and commercial fit instead of trying to stretch a starter key into production infrastructure.