Authentication

Option 1: No API Key Needed

Start in simulation mode immediately. No signup, no API key, no credit card. Everything runs locally.

pip install sardis

python -c "
from sardis import SardisClient
client = SardisClient()       # Simulation mode — no API key needed
result = client.quickstart()  # Guided first payment in 30 seconds
"

When you're ready for real payments, continue to option 2 or 3.

Option 2: Dashboard

Sign up to get a sandbox API key. Create wallets, set policies, and manage spending mandates from the dashboard.

1. Go to dashboard.sardis.sh/signup
2. Register with email + password
3. Your API key is shown immediately (copy it — shown only once)
4. You're redirected to the onboarding wizard with quickstart code

import os
from sardis import SardisClient

client = SardisClient(api_key=os.environ["SARDIS_API_KEY"])
wallet = client.wallets.create(name="my-agent", policy="Max $100/day")
tx = wallet.pay(to="openai.com", amount=25)
print(tx.success)  # True

Option 3: CLI

Use the interactive setup wizard. It guides you through account creation, API key configuration, and your first payment.

pip install sardis-cli

# Interactive setup wizard
sardis init

# Check your connection
sardis status

# Make your first payment
sardis payments execute --to openai.com --amount 25 --purpose "API credits"

Option 4: MCP (Claude & Cursor)

Use Sardis directly from Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client. No code needed — just natural language.

# Install and start (simulated mode — no API key)
npx @sardis/mcp-server init --mode simulated
npx @sardis/mcp-server start

# Then ask Claude: "Create a wallet and make a $25 payment to OpenAI"

API Key Types

Managing API Keys

From the dashboard API Keys page, you can:

• Create new keys with specific scopes (read, write, admin)
• Set expiration (30, 90, 365 days, or never)
• Revoke keys instantly (takes effect immediately)
• View key prefix and last usage timestamp

Keys are SHA-256 hashed before storage — we never store or display the full key after creation.

Next Steps

• Set up a spending mandate — define what your agent can spend
• Configure the policy engine — fine-grained rules
• Go to production — simulation to testnet to mainnet