# Getting Started

Canonical URL: https://doc.roote.ai/getting-started



Choose the ROOTE surface that fits what you are building.

## Choose an interface [#choose-an-interface]

<Cards>
  <Card title="REST API" description="Use ROOTE from an application or backend over HTTP." href="/roote-api" />

  <Card title="MCP" description="Connect an AI agent to five read-only ROOTE tools." href="/roote-mcp" />

  <Card title="ROOTE Map" description="Explore mobility data and share a map view." href="/map" />

  <Card title="Ask ROOTE" description="Access mobility information conversationally." href="/ask-roote" />
</Cards>

## Make your first API request [#make-your-first-api-request]

A persistent integration should use Bearer authentication by default.

```bash
curl "https://api.roote.ai/v1/geocode?q=10%20rue%20de%20Rivoli%2C%20Paris" \\
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"
```

The response contains ordered geographic candidates. See [Geocode](/capabilities/geography/geocode) for the complete contract.

## Authentication choices [#authentication-choices]

Bearer authentication is the clean default for persistent integrations:

```http
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN
```

Where an API endpoint documents query-token support, you can also use:

```text
?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN
```

<Callout title="Choose with persistence in mind" type="info">
  Complete URLs may persist in browser history, server logs, analytics, referrers, screenshots, and copied links. Use Bearer authentication when that exposure would be inappropriate.
</Callout>

Create and manage developer access at [dev.roote.ai](https://dev.roote.ai). Continue with [Authentication](/authentication), [ROOTE API](/roote-api), or [Connect ROOTE MCP](/roote-mcp/connect-roote-mcp).