snapshot of https://github.com/zulip/zulip.git @ 48c69911c7dd4e03b20552eb3bd77ad8151c1357 (2026-09-15)

api_docs/rest.md

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+# The Zulip REST API
+
+The Zulip REST API powers the Zulip web and mobile apps, so anything
+you can do in Zulip, you can do with Zulip's REST API.  To use this API:
+
+* You'll need to [get an API key](/api/api-keys).  You will likely
+  want to [create a bot](/help/add-a-bot-or-integration), unless you're
+  using the API to interact with
+  your own account (e.g., exporting your personal message history).
+* Choose what language you'd like to use.  You can download the
+  [Python or JavaScript bindings](/api/installation-instructions), projects in
+  [other languages](/api/client-libraries), or
+  just make HTTP requests with your favorite programming language.
+* If you're making your own HTTP requests, you'll want to send the
+  appropriate [HTTP basic authentication headers](/api/http-headers).
+* The Zulip API has a standard
+  [system for reporting errors](/api/rest-error-handling).
+
+Most other details are covered in the documentation for the individual
+endpoints:
+
+!!! tip ""
+
+    You may use the `client.call_endpoint` method of our Python API
+    bindings to call an endpoint that isn't documented here. For an
+    example, see [Upload a custom emoji](/api/upload-custom-emoji).
+
+{!rest-endpoints.md!}
+
+Since Zulip is open source, you can also consult the
+[Zulip server source code](https://github.com/zulip/zulip/) as a
+workaround for how to do anything not documented here.