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

# Quickstart

> Connect your first integration and make your first request in under 5 minutes

Get up and running with Pica by connecting Gmail and retrieving your last unread email.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create your Pica account">
    [Sign up for a free Pica account](https://app.picaos.com) to get started.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect Gmail ">
    Click [**Connect Gmail**](https://app.picaos.com/connections#open=gmail) to open the connection modal, then authorize your Google account.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/pica-236d4a1e/kLG8rLJY_ZkadQp9/images/new-connection.gif?s=0ddb96f89c1ec334cef67a6128e5a17a" alt="Add a new connection" width="1648" height="1080" data-path="images/new-connection.gif" />

    <Info>
      You can connect any integration the same way. Each connection is stored securely and can be used across all Pica products.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make your first request">
    Now let's retrieve your Gmail user profile. Choose your preferred approach:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="AI Playground">
        **Best for: AI agents and agentic workflows**

        1. Click the **"Try in Playground"** button (top right of the connections page)
        2. In the AI chat, paste this prompt:

        ```
        Get my Gmail user profile
        ```

        3. The AI will execute the action and return your profile information

        The Playground lets you test integration actions conversationally. It's perfect for exploring what's possible before building your agent or workflow.

        <Tip>
          Try any request such as "Fetch my last 3 unread emails from Gmail" or "Send an email to [hello@picaos.com](mailto:hello@picaos.com) with a warm greeting"
        </Tip>
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Direct API">
        **Best for: Direct integration building and custom workflows**

        First, gather your credentials:

        1. Get your [API key](https://app.picaos.com/settings/api-keys) from the settings page
        2. Copy your Gmail connection key from the [connections table](https://app.picaos.com/connections)

        Then make a request to the Passthrough API:

        ```bash theme={null}
        curl "https://api.picaos.com/v1/passthrough/users/me/profile" \
          -H "x-pica-secret: YOUR_PICA_SECRET_KEY" \
          -H "x-pica-connection-key: YOUR_GMAIL_CONNECTION_KEY" \
          -H "x-pica-action-id: conn_mod_def::F_JeCYGuzvg::yAM6bqGdRdm91ZbYejlbEA" \
          -H "Content-Type: application/json"
        ```

        Replace `YOUR_PICA_SECRET_KEY` and `YOUR_GMAIL_CONNECTION_KEY` with your actual values.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What's next?

Now that you've made your first integration request, choose your path based on what you're building:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Build an AI agent with tools" icon="robot" href="/toolkit">
    Use ToolKit to give your agent access to integrations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build a SaaS app with integrations" icon="plug" href="/saas">
    Add AuthKit to let your users connect their own accounts
  </Card>

  <Card title="Make direct API requests" icon="code" href="/api-reference/passthrough">
    Use the Passthrough API for full control over requests
  </Card>

  <Card title="Vibe code with prompts" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/buildkit">
    Use BuildKit with Lovable, V0, Bolt, and more
  </Card>
</CardGroup>