# Use the API from Claude Code > Let Claude Code publish to Ur Next Door: put your key in UND_API_KEY, add a CLAUDE.md note that points at the docs, allow curl, and start with a test prompt. Source: https://docs.urnextdoor.com/ai/claude-code/ Claude Code is Anthropic's agent for the terminal, IDEs and the Code tab of the Claude desktop app. It can run `curl`, so it can call the Ur Next Door API directly. Your key stays in an environment variable: Claude Code writes `$UND_API_KEY` in its commands and your shell fills it in, so the key itself never enters the conversation. ## Step 1: Create a key for Claude Code In **Settings > API keys** on urnextdoor.com, create a key named `Claude Code`, with the scopes `content`, `media` and `read` (add `schedule` if it should move or cancel scheduled items), and an expiry of 30 or 90 days. Copy it. See [Create an API key](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/getting-started/create-api-key.md). ## Step 2: Put the key in the environment, then start Claude Code Claude Code inherits environment variables from the terminal you start it in. Set the variable first: ```bash # Paste the key when asked; it is not shown or saved in your history. read -rs UND_API_KEY && export UND_API_KEY claude ``` If you saved the key in your shell profile (see [Create an API key](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/getting-started/create-api-key.md)), just open a new terminal and run `claude`. > **Do not paste the key into the chat:** > > Anything you type into the conversation is part of the transcript. Keep the key in the environment and let Claude refer to `$UND_API_KEY`. ## Step 3: Add a note to CLAUDE.md Claude Code reads `CLAUDE.md` in your project folder at the start of every session. Add this section so it knows how to use the API safely: **CLAUDE.md** ```markdown ## Ur Next Door API - Before the first call, read https://docs.urnextdoor.com/llms.txt and follow https://docs.urnextdoor.com/ai/system-prompt.txt. - Base URL: https://urnextdoor.com/api/v1. Contract: https://urnextdoor.com/api/v1/openapi.json - The API key is in $UND_API_KEY. Use it only as -H "Authorization: Bearer $UND_API_KEY". Never print, echo or write the key. - Send -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" on every POST and DELETE. - Show me a preview and wait for my yes before publishing anything. - Upload images with POST /media first, then use data.url as featured_image. - When done, give me the web_url of everything you created. ``` ## Step 4: Allow the docs and, if you want, curl By default Claude Code asks before it fetches a web page or runs a command. To let it read these docs without asking, add a permission rule to `.claude/settings.json` in your project: **.claude/settings.json** ```json { "permissions": { "allow": [ "WebFetch(domain:docs.urnextdoor.com)", "WebFetch(domain:urnextdoor.com)" ] } } ``` You can also add `"Bash(curl:*)"` to that list so it runs `curl` without a prompt each time. Only do that if you are comfortable with it publishing without a permission prompt; the CLAUDE.md rule above still asks it to confirm with you first. Leaving curl out means you approve each request, which is a good way to start. ## Step 5: Try it Start with something that cannot publish: ```text Check my Ur Next Door API key with GET /me and tell me my plan and the key's scopes. Do not create anything. ``` Then a real task: ```text Write a short post for Ur Next Door about three ways to save water at home. Use HTML paragraphs and a list, add the tags water and home, and show me a preview. After I say yes, publish it and give me the web_url. ``` Claude Code will run a request like this one, with `$UND_API_KEY` expanded by your shell: **cURL** ```bash curl -X POST "https://urnextdoor.com/api/v1/posts" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $UND_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \ -d '{ "title": "Five easy ways to save water at home", "body": "

Small habits add up. These five saved our building a lot of water this summer.

", "tags": [ "water", "home" ] }' ``` **JavaScript** ```js const res = await fetch("https://urnextdoor.com/api/v1/posts", { method: "POST", headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.UND_API_KEY}`, "Content-Type": "application/json", "Idempotency-Key": crypto.randomUUID(), }, body: JSON.stringify({ title: "Five easy ways to save water at home", body: "

Small habits add up. These five saved our building a lot of water this summer.

", tags: ["water", "home"], }), }); console.log(res.status, await res.json()); ``` **Python** ```python import os import uuid import requests api_key = os.environ["UND_API_KEY"] response = requests.post( "https://urnextdoor.com/api/v1/posts", headers={ "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}", "Idempotency-Key": str(uuid.uuid4()), }, json={ "title": "Five easy ways to save water at home", "body": "

Small habits add up. These five saved our building a lot of water this summer.

", "tags": ["water", "home"], }, timeout=30, ) print(response.status_code, response.json()) ``` **PHP** ```php 'Five easy ways to save water at home', 'body' => '

Small habits add up. These five saved our building a lot of water this summer.

', 'tags' => ['water', 'home'], ]; $ch = curl_init('https://urnextdoor.com/api/v1/posts'); curl_setopt_array($ch, [ CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => 'POST', CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [ 'Authorization: Bearer ' . $apiKey, 'Content-Type: application/json', 'Idempotency-Key: ' . bin2hex(random_bytes(16)), ], CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode($payload), ]); $body = curl_exec($ch); $status = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_RESPONSE_CODE); echo $status, PHP_EOL, $body, PHP_EOL; ``` Sample response: `201 Created` ```json { "ok": true, "id": 41, "slug": "five-easy-ways-to-save-water-at-home", "url": "/posts/five-easy-ways-to-save-water-at-home", "web_url": "https://urnextdoor.com/posts/five-easy-ways-to-save-water-at-home", "item": { "id": 41, "type": "post", "slug": "five-easy-ways-to-save-water-at-home" }, "request_id": "9f8e7d6c5b4a3921" } ``` More in [Prompt recipes](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/ai/prompt-recipes.md). ## Images Claude Code works with files on your computer. If you have an image (from an image model, a screenshot or a photo), ask Claude Code to upload it and use it: ```text Upload ./cover.png to Ur Next Door as base64 JSON, building the body in a file, then create the post with that image as featured_image. ``` It should follow [Upload images](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/guides/upload-images.md): build the JSON in a file, send it with `--data-binary @file`, then use `data.url`. ## Troubleshooting | Symptom | Fix | | --- | --- | | `401 missing_api_key` | The variable is empty in Claude Code's environment. Quit Claude Code, set `UND_API_KEY` in that terminal, start `claude` again. Check with `echo ${UND_API_KEY:+set}` (prints `set` without showing the key). | | `401 invalid_api_key` | Mistyped, revoked or expired key. Create a new one. | | `403 insufficient_scope` | The key lacks a scope Claude needs, often `media` or `read`. | | `uuidgen: command not found` | On Linux, install `uuid-runtime`, or ask Claude to use `python3 -c "import uuid; print(uuid.uuid4())"`. | | Claude invents an id | Remind it to use the lookups; the system prompt says so. | ## Next steps - [System prompt](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/ai/system-prompt.md) for the full rules. - [Prompt recipes](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/ai/prompt-recipes.md). - [Codex CLI](https://docs.urnextdoor.com/ai/codex-cli.md) if you also use OpenAI's agent.