Quick Start

In this section, we will see how to

1. Create an API Key

2. Upload a file

3. View the file

4. Get Filecoin deals

5. What's Next?

This Quick Start guide walks you through the essentials: creating an API key, uploading a file, viewing it, and tracking its storage status. While the examples below use Node.js, you can easily adapt them for other environments using our How-To section

1. Create an API Key

1. Login into Lighthouse files dapp (https://files.lighthouse.storage/)

2. Go to the API key section and generate the API key as shown in image below

You can also generate the API key from CLI

2. Upload a File

1. Install the lighthouse package in your Node application

npm i @lighthouse-web3/sdk

2. Run the following script

import lighthouse from '@lighthouse-web3/sdk'

const apiKey = 'YOUR_API_KEY_HERE';
const uploadResponse = await lighthouse.upload(
  '/home/cosmos/Desktop/wow.jpg', 
  apiKey
);

console.log(uploadResponse);

On success, you'll receive an object containing the file name, its CID (“Hash”), and size—example shown below:

{
  data: {
    Name: 'wow.jpg',
    Hash: 'QmUHDKv3NNL1mrg4NTW4WwJqetzwZbGNitdjr2G6Z5Xe6s',
    Size: '31735'
  }
}

3. View the File

The file can be viewed from an IPFS gateway https://gateway.lighthouse.storage/ipfs/QmWC9AkGa6vSbR4yizoJrFMfmZh4XjZXxvRDknk2LdJff

4. Get Filecoin Deal

Filecoin deals can take up to couple of hours to 1 day to appear—this is expected. Use the dealStatus function as shown below to monitor progress. Once sealed, files are verifiably stored

const status = await lighthouse.dealStatus('bafkreia4ruswe7ghckleh3lmpujo5asrnd7hrtu5r23zjk2robpcoend34')

The response will look like this

data: [
    {
        "endEpoch": 4490732,
        "chainDealID": 45796363,
        "publishCID": "bafy2bzacec2v6bahuatbgxeocrym6vwduzovopwtairtvcipzj6q6jvq3pmti",
        "storageProvider": "f02620",
        "dealStatus": "Sealing: PreCommit1",
        "dealUUID": "e8ad77c7-0801-4076-80b8-bdabff95cb7b",
        "startEpoch": 3035532,
        "aggregateIn": "b231aeed-59a8-4586-9bf9-e45679895e8f",
        "providerCollateral": "10.282 mFIL",
        "lastUpdate": 1676160004130,
        "pieceCID": "baga6ea4seaqhtz4xcs5d3yrf6hivxp7dbcqg6dwqqojez5ztcq7mycngigptsoy",
        "payloadCid": "bafybeiefcsn6rwyswdlf6mmknaq3kncuee6mwfx7fy4qea7msl2zngnaia",
        "pieceSize": 34359738368,
        "carFileSize": 34091302912,
        "dealId": 45796363,
        "miner": "f02620",
        "content": 31721
    }
]

5. What’s Next?

Explore further with:

• CLI tools

• Python SDK examples

• Encrypted uploads (Kavach)

• Token gating & access control

• Image resizing, IPNS, and more…