> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://assisfy.gitbook.io/assisfy.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://assisfy.gitbook.io/assisfy.ai/getting-started/quickstart/setting-up-your-environment.md).

# Setting Up Your Environment

Before you can run your first agent, follow these steps to set up your development environment

## **1.1 Prerequisites**

Ensure you have the following installed on your system:

* **Node.js**: Version 18 or higher is recommended.
* **npm**: Comes bundled with Node.js.
* **API Key**: Sign up for an Assisfy account at Assisfy.ai to obtain your API key.

## **1.2 Project Initialization**

Initialize your Node.js project if you haven't already:

```bash
mkdir my-assisfy-agent
cd my-assisfy-agent
npm init -y
```

Install additional packages as needed (e.g., `dotenv` for managing environment variables):

```bash
npm install dotenv
```

## **1.4 Setting Up Environment Variables**

Store your API key securely using a `.env` file:

```plaintext
ASSISFY_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
```

Load the environment variables in your project:

```javascript
require('dotenv').config();
const apiKey = process.env.ASSISFY_API_KEY;
```