Prerequisites
- A Nexus account with an active plan
- Basic knowledge of HTTP requests
- A tool to make API calls (cURL, Postman, or code)
Step 1: Create an API Key
Programmatic access uses an API key sent in theX-Api-Key header. API keys are long-lived
(they don’t expire every hour like a session token), which makes them the right credential for
servers, scripts, and integrations.
- Sign in to the dashboard
- Create an API key and choose its network (e.g. Cardano Mainnet, Midnight Mainnet)
- Copy the key — it’s shown once and looks like
nxs_uYc...
Step 2: Make Your First Request
Let’s fetch the latest block from the Cardano blockchain.Expected Response
Success! You’ve made your first API call to Gero Nexus.
Step 3: Explore More Endpoints
Now that you’ve made your first call, try these common endpoints:Get Block by Hash
Get Transaction
Get Address Info
Get Latest Epoch
Using the Interactive Playground
Want to test endpoints without writing code? Every page in the API Reference has a built-in playground:- Open an endpoint in the API Reference
- Enter your API key in the
X-Api-Keyfield - Fill in any parameters
- Click “Send” to see the live response
Best Practices
Secure Your API Key
Secure Your API Key
- Never commit API keys to version control
- Store keys in environment variables or a secrets manager
- Rotate keys from the dashboard if one is exposed
- Scope each key to the network it needs (mainnet keys can’t query preprod)
Handle Rate Limits
Handle Rate Limits
- Requests are bounded by a monthly quota and a per-second limit (see Rate Limits)
- On a 429, honor the
Retry-Afterheader before retrying - Watch
X-RateLimit-Remainingand monitor your usage in the dashboard - Cache responses when possible
Error Handling
Error Handling
Always check response status codes:
200- Success400- Bad request (invalid parameters)401- Unauthorized (missing/invalid API key, or key in the wrong header)402- Add-on required for this endpoint404- Resource not found429- Rate limit exceeded500- Server error (contact support)
Example: Building a Simple Balance Checker
Here’s a complete example that checks the balance of a Cardano address:Next Steps
Authentication Guide
API keys vs. session tokens, and security best practices
API Reference
Explore all available endpoints
Rate Limits
Understand rate limiting and quotas
Error Handling
Learn how to handle API errors gracefully
Need Help?
Join Discord
Chat with our team and community
Contact Support
Email us for assistance
Congratulations! You’re now ready to build with Gero Nexus. Check out the API Reference for a full list of endpoints.