Source: https://atomic-works-test.docs-staging.pageloop.ai/api-reference/sprinto-api-playground/make-your-first-api-call-using-the-sprinto-api-playground
# Make Your First Api Call Using The Sprinto Api Playground
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description: >-
Learn how to make your first query or mutation using the Sprinto API
Playground and validate responses in real time.
---
# Make your first API call using the Sprinto API Playground
This guide walks you through making your first API call using the Sprinto API Playground. The playground allows you to execute queries and mutations directly from your browser and inspect responses without writing any client-side code.
Before proceeding, ensure that the API Playground is correctly configured and authenticated.
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### Prerequisites
Before making an API call, ensure that you have:
* Successfully set up the Sprinto API Playground
* A valid API key configured in the playground
* A basic understanding of GraphQL queries and mutations
For additional context, review the API Structure documentation to understand valid request formats.
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### Step 1: Choose the API operation type
In the API Playground, all operations are grouped under **Root types**.
1. Decide whether you want to make a:
* **Query** to read data, or
* **Mutation** to modify data
2. Expand the relevant root type by selecting it from the sidebar.
In the example below, a **query** operation is selected.
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### Step 2: Select an API operation
From the expanded root type:
1. Choose an available API operation.
2. When you select an operation, the corresponding GraphQL code is automatically added to the **Operations** editor.
This saves time and ensures the request structure matches the schema.
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### Step 3: Configure query arguments
Most queries require arguments to define what data should be returned.
You can use:
* `first` to specify how many records to retrieve
* `after` or `before` to fetch records relative to a cursor value
For this example:
* The `first` argument is selected
* A value of `10` is entered in the **Variables** section
To understand how cursors work, refer to the Pagination documentation.
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### Step 4: Select response fields
GraphQL allows you to control exactly which fields are returned in the response.
1. Select the fields you want to retrieve.
2. In this example, only `totalCount` is selected to return the total number of workflow checks.
3. Click **Query** to execute the API call.
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### Step 5: Review the response
After execution:
* The response appears in the **Response** panel
* You can view the returned data, HTTP status code, and any error messages if the request fails
This feedback helps you validate your query and troubleshoot issues quickly.
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### What happens next
If the query executes successfully, you have completed your first API call using the Sprinto API Playground.
You can now:
* Modify the query to retrieve additional fields
* Experiment with different arguments
* Try mutation operations
* Explore other available API operations
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### Next steps
To continue learning, you can:
* Explore ready-to-use examples in Sprinto Cookbooks
* Make paginated queries for large datasets
* Use the playground to validate queries before integrating them into your application
