# Getting started

> Your first request to the Ladehase API in five minutes, with test devices and no hardware.

The Ladehase API is a REST API at `https://api.ladehase.com/v1`. Everything you can do in the dashboard you can also do through the API: manage locations and charge points, set tariffs, start and stop charging, analyse sessions, create access grants and receive webhooks.

## What you need

- An account in the [dashboard](https://dashboard.ladehase.com/registrieren). It is free.
- An API key. Create it in the dashboard under «Developers». Start with a test key `lh_test_…`.
- `curl` or any programming language.

## Create test devices

In test mode you don't need a real charging station. Create simulated charge points:

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.ladehase.com/v1/integrations/test \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer lh_test_…"
```

Then list the devices:

```bash
curl https://api.ladehase.com/v1/devices \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer lh_test_…"
```

```json
{
  "object": "list",
  "data": [
    { "id": "dev_…", "object": "device", "name": "Testladepunkt 1", "livemode": false }
  ],
  "has_more": false
}
```

## Start a charging session

Start a session without payment with `POST /v1/sessions`. This lets you test the flow without opening the payment page:

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.ladehase.com/v1/sessions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer lh_test_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 6f1c2a1e-first-session" \
  -d '{ "device_id": "dev_…" }'
```

Then plug in a simulated car:

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.ladehase.com/v1/devices/dev_…/simulate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer lh_test_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "action": "plug", "vehicle_need_wh": 12000 }'
```

The session moves to `charging`. `GET /v1/sessions/ses_…` shows energy and the running amount. Stop it with `POST /v1/sessions/ses_…/stop`.

## API principles

- **Units:** amounts are integers in Rappen (`1250` = CHF 12.50), energy in watt hours (`12400` = 12.4 kWh), energy prices in hundredths of a Rappen per kWh (`4500` = 0.45 CHF/kWh). See [Tariffs](/en/docs/tarife).
- **IDs** have a prefix: `ses_` for sessions, `dev_` for devices, `loc_` for locations and so on.
- **Lists** return `object`, `data` and `has_more`. Paginate with `limit` (max 100) and `starting_after`.
- **Timestamps** are ISO 8601 in UTC.
- **Errors** follow RFC 9457 (Problem Details). See [Errors](/en/docs/fehler).
- **Idempotent:** write requests accept an `Idempotency-Key` header. The same request with the same key takes effect only once within 24 hours.

## Next steps

- [Authentication](/en/docs/authentifizierung) and key management
- Understand [sessions and states](/en/docs/sitzungen)
- Receive [webhooks](/en/docs/webhooks)
- Use the [MCP server](/en/docs/mcp) with Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor
- [API reference](/en/docs/api) with all endpoints