# Quickstart

> Send your first YesCaptcha request in 5 minutes. Sign up, copy your clientKey, top up, then read an image captcha with curl, Python or Node.js (ImageToTextTaskOcrBase, synchronous, 2 points per image).

Source: https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/getting-started/quickstart/ · Last verified: 2026-10-15

This page sends a first request with the simplest task type, `ImageToTextTaskOcrBase`, which reads the letters and digits in an image. It is synchronous (a single `createTask` request returns the result), costs 2 points (¥0.002) per image and needs no third-party site, so it is a good way to check that your account and code work.

1.  **Create an account**
    
    Sign up and log in at [yescaptcha.com](https://yescaptcha.com/).
    
2.  **Copy your clientKey**
    
    On the dashboard ([yescaptcha.com/dashboard.html](https://yescaptcha.com/dashboard.html)), find “Your ClientKey” and click copy. Copy the whole value. Every API request is authenticated with it, so keep it private; if it leaks, reset it in the same place.
    
3.  **Top up**
    
    Your balance must be above 10 points to create tasks. Payment methods and VIP bonuses: [Top-up and VIP](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/account/recharge/).
    
4.  **Check that the clientKey works**
    
    `getBalance` returns your balance and is free:
    
    ```bash
    curl -s https://api.yescaptcha.com/getBalance \
      -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
      -d '{"clientKey": "YOUR_CLIENT_KEY"}'
    ```
    
    If you get `{"errorId": 0, "balance": 12345, ...}`, you are ready; `balance` is your remaining points. `ERROR_KEY_DOES_NOT_EXIST` means the key was copied incorrectly.
    
5.  **Read an image**
    
    Download the sample image [captcha.jpg](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/samples/captcha.jpg) (or use your own captcha image), put your client key in an environment variable and run one of the scripts:
    
    ```bash
    export YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY=your_client_key
    ```
    
    **curl**
    
    quickstart.sh
    
    ```bash
    #!/usr/bin/env bash
    # First request: read an alphanumeric image captcha with ImageToTextTaskOcrBase (synchronous, 2 points per image)
    # Usage: YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY=your_client_key bash quickstart.sh captcha.png
    set -euo pipefail
    IMAGE="${1:-captcha.png}"
    BODY=$(base64 < "$IMAGE" | tr -d '\n')   # no "data:" prefix, no line breaks
    curl -s https://api.yescaptcha.com/createTask \
      -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
      -d "{\"clientKey\": \"${YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY}\", \"task\": {\"type\": \"ImageToTextTaskOcrBase\", \"body\": \"${BODY}\"}}"
    echo
    ```
    
    
    
    **Python**
    
    quickstart.py
    
    ```python
    """First request: read an alphanumeric image captcha with ImageToTextTaskOcrBase
    (synchronous, 2 points per image).
    
    Usage:
        export YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY=your_client_key
        python quickstart.py captcha.png
    """
    import base64
    import os
    import sys
    
    import requests
    
    CLIENT_KEY = os.environ["YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY"]
    image_path = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "captcha.png"
    
    with open(image_path, "rb") as f:
        body = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode()  # no "data:" prefix
    
    r = requests.post(
        "https://api.yescaptcha.com/createTask",
        json={
            "clientKey": CLIENT_KEY,
            "task": {"type": "ImageToTextTaskOcrBase", "body": body},
        },
        timeout=30,
    )
    data = r.json()
    if data.get("errorId"):
        raise SystemExit(f"{data.get('errorCode')}: {data.get('errorDescription')}")
    print("text:", data["solution"]["text"])
    ```
    
    
    
    **Node.js**
    
    quickstart.mjs
    
    ```js
    // First request: read an alphanumeric image captcha with ImageToTextTaskOcrBase (synchronous, 2 points per image).
    // Usage: YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY=your_client_key node quickstart.mjs captcha.png
    import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
    
    const CLIENT_KEY = process.env.YESCAPTCHA_CLIENT_KEY;
    const body = readFileSync(process.argv[2] ?? 'captcha.png').toString('base64'); // no "data:" prefix
    
    const res = await fetch('https://api.yescaptcha.com/createTask', {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
      body: JSON.stringify({ clientKey: CLIENT_KEY, task: { type: 'ImageToTextTaskOcrBase', body } }),
    });
    const data = await res.json();
    if (data.errorId) throw new Error(`${data.errorCode}: ${data.errorDescription}`);
    console.log('text:', data.solution.text);
    ```
    
    Run `bash quickstart.sh captcha.jpg`, `python quickstart.py captcha.jpg` or `node quickstart.mjs captcha.jpg`. Python needs `pip install requests`; Node.js needs version 18 or later.
    
6.  **Read the result**
    
    On success you get:
    
    ```json
    {
      "errorId": 0,
      "status": "ready",
      "solution": { "text": "LMResm" },
      "taskId": "2376919c-1863-11ec-a012-94e6f7355a0b"
    }
    ```
    
    `errorId` 0 means success, and the text is in `solution.text`. If `errorId` is 1, look up `errorCode` in [Error codes](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/api/errors/).
    

## Next steps

-   Token tasks such as reCAPTCHA and hCaptcha are **asynchronous**: `createTask` returns a `taskId`, then you call `getTaskResult` every 5 seconds. The full flow is in [Requests and responses](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/api/overview/); an example is [reCAPTCHA v2](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/tasks/recaptcha-v2/).
-   Choose a task type: [Task types and pricing](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/tasks/).
-   A client you can copy into your project: [Python](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/samples/python/), [Node.js](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/samples/nodejs/).
-   No code: [Browser extension](https://docs.yescaptcha.com/en/extension/).