> The complete documentation index is at [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

To follow this page as a screencast, watch [Getting started with the Bauplan CLI and SDK](https://youtu.be/Nd5glmOz9QA). The written steps are below.

[Getting started with the Bauplan CLI and SDK](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd5glmOz9QA)

## Install the Bauplan CLI and SDK

Ensure you are running a supported Python version (`>=3.11`).

Assuming you are in a Python project directory and want to add Bauplan as a dependency, run:

```sh
uv add bauplan
```

Verify the installation by checking the CLI version:

```sh
bauplan version
```

Although our recommendation is to add Bauplan to a project, you can install it globally by running:

```sh
uv tool install bauplan
```

## Obtain your API key

Sign in to your [Bauplan account](https://app.bauplanlabs.com/),
navigate to your **Settings → API Keys**, and generate a new API key. If
you do not have an API key yet, you can [request
one](https://app.bauplanlabs.com/sign-up) for free.

> Your API key is shown only once. Save it immediately in a secure location.

## Configure your API key

### Option A: configure via CLI (recommended)

You can configure and verify the API key for Bauplan using the instructions in this [video](https://youtu.be/Nd5glmOz9QA?t=50).

Otherwise, use the following command to set the API key for your `default` profile:

```sh
bauplan config set api_key <your_api_key>
```

Verify your configuration:

```sh
bauplan config get
```

### Option B: Edit the config file manually

Bauplan stores its configuration in `~/.bauplan/config.yaml`. You can create or
edit this file directly to set up one or more named profiles:

```yaml
profiles:
  default:
    api_key: <your_api_key>
  another-profile:
    api_key: <another_api_key>
```

Each profile can have its own API key. The
`default` profile is used automatically unless you specify a different one via the `--profile` option in the CLI.

If you are using the Python SDK, see [notes on Client authentication](/reference/bauplan#notes-on-authentication).

  Never share your API key publicly. Store it securely using environment
  variables or secrets management tools in your deployment workflows.

## Upgrade Bauplan

If you added Bauplan to a project:

```sh
uv lock --upgrade-package bauplan
uv sync
```

If you installed Bauplan globally:

```sh
uv tool upgrade bauplan
```

> You can see the release notes
>   [here](https://github.com/BauplanLabs/bauplan/releases).