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This guide walks you through the complete setup: creating an account, setting up a room, adding users, and connecting the client SDK.

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Prerequisites

  • Node.js 18+ installed
  • A running CollabKit server (self-hosted or managed)

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1. Create an Account

Sign up at the CollabKit dashboard. This creates your organization and generates an API key.

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2. Get Your API Key

Once logged in, go to Settings in the dashboard to find your Account ID and API Key.
Save both the accountId and apiKey. You’ll need them to construct the Bearer token for all API calls.

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3. Create a Bearer Token

All API requests (except auth) use Bearer authentication. The token is a Base64-encoded string of accountId:apiKey: 
ACCOUNT_ID="a1b2c3d4-5678-..."
API_KEY="7f3e8a2b9c1d4e5f..."
TOKEN=$(echo -n "${ACCOUNT_ID}:${API_KEY}" | base64)

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4. Create a Room

curl -X POST https://api.collab-kit.com/v1/accounts/${ACCOUNT_ID}/rooms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name": "my-first-room"}'
Response
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "room": {
      "id": "c3003c93-60cf-4184-...",
      "account_id": "a1b2c3d4-...",
      "name": "my-first-room",
      "state": "active",
      "created_at": "2026-05-29T..."
    }
  }
}

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5. Create a User

Create a user in the room. This returns a JWT token that the client SDK uses for authentication: 
ROOM_ID="c3003c93-60cf-4184-..."

curl -X POST https://api.collab-kit.com/v1/accounts/${ACCOUNT_ID}/users \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "{
    \"name\": \"Alice\",
    \"roomId\": \"${ROOM_ID}\",
    \"profilePicture\": \"https://example.com/alice.png\"
  }"
Response
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "user": {
      "id": "f47ac10b-58cc-4372-...",
      "room_id": "c3003c93-...",
      "name": "Alice",
      "status": "offline"
    },
    "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs..."
  }
}
The token in the response is a JWT valid for 90 days. Pass it to the client SDK to authenticate WebSocket connections.

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6. Install the Client SDK and Connect

npm install @collab-kit/client @collab-kit/utils

import CollabKitClient from '@collab-kit/client';

const client = new CollabKitClient({
  serverUrl: 'https://api.collab-kit.com',
  authToken: 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs...', // JWT from step 5
});

// Connect establishes the WebSocket and authenticates
await client.connect();

// Join sets the user as online in the room
await client.join();

console.log('Connected as:', client.currentUser?.name);
console.log('Room:', client.currentRoom?.name);
console.log('Online users:', client.users.online.size);

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7. Add Real-Time Features

Now that you’re connected, add collaboration features: 
// Share cursor position
document.addEventListener('mousemove', (e) => {
  client.presence.update({
    cursor: { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY },
  });
});

// Listen to other users' cursors
client.presence.sync('*', ({ userId, state }) => {
  if (state) {
    renderCursor(userId, state.cursor);
  }
});

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Next Steps

Client SDK Reference

Full API reference for all SDK modules.

Guides & Examples

Build a cursor tracking experience and more.

API Reference

Detailed HTTP API documentation.

Webhooks & Workflows

Automate server-side actions on events.