> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nomadicml.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SDK Installation

> Install and configure the Nomadic SDK

# Installing the Nomadic SDK

This guide covers the installation and basic configuration of the Nomadic Python SDK.

## Prerequisites

* Python 3.8–3.11
* pip (Python package installer)

<Note>
  Ensure that you have the latest up to date version to avoid potential issues during installation.
</Note>

## Installation Steps

### 1. Standard Installation

Install the SDK directly from [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/nomadicml/):

```bash theme={null}
pip install nomadic
```

This is the recommended method for most users.

### 2. Obtain your API Key

Get your API key first. Log in to [app.nomadicml.com](https://app.nomadicml.com).
Go to **Profile → API Keys**, and click **Generate New Key**.

<Note>
  The full key is shown only once — copy it immediately.
</Note>

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/nomadicmlinc/qgpB7F6fX-JcSLmf/screenshots/SCR-API%20Key.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qgpB7F6fX-JcSLmf&q=85&s=eadc703a51db060ad671cbd163a2997c" alt="Nomadic API Keys screen" style={{ width: '100%' }} width="2926" height="1410" data-path="screenshots/SCR-API Key.png" />

### 3. Basic Configuration

Once you have the SDK installed and your API key, you can initialize the client:

```python theme={null}
import os
from nomadic import NomadicAI

client = NomadicAI(api_key=os.environ["NOMADICAI_API_KEY"])

# Or with custom configuration for self-hosted deployments
client = NomadicAI(
    api_key=os.environ["NOMADICAI_API_KEY"],
    base_url="https://custom-deployment.example.com",  # Optional: defaults to https://api-prod.nomadicml.com/
    timeout=60,                          # Optional: Custom timeout in seconds
    collection_name="custom_collection"  # Optional: Firestore collection name for your private instance — provided by your Nomadic admin
)
```

<Note>
  If you are running a self-hosted VPC deployment of Nomadic, set `collection_name` to the Firestore collection provided by your Nomadic admin. If you are using the standard cloud version of Nomadic, leave `collection_name` out.
</Note>

### 4. Verifying Installation

To verify that everything is set up correctly:

```python theme={null}
import os
from nomadic import NomadicAI

client = NomadicAI(api_key=os.environ["NOMADICAI_API_KEY"])

try:
    auth_info = client.verify_auth()
    print("Authentication successful:", auth_info)
except Exception as e:
    print("Authentication failed:", e)
```

## Troubleshooting

**`AuthenticationError: Invalid API key`**

If your API key is missing, incorrect, or expired, double-check that:

* You copied the full key (it's only shown once at generation)
* The key hasn't expired — check the expiry date in **Profile → API Keys**
* Your environment variable is set correctly: `echo $NOMADICAI_API_KEY`

For other authentication issues, see the [Authentication Guide](/advanced/authentication).

For package conflicts, try installing in a virtual environment or upgrading to the latest version with `pip install --upgrade nomadic`.

## Next Steps

Now that you have the SDK installed and configured, you can:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Self-Hosted VPC Setup" icon="server" href="/getting-started/vpc-setup">
    Deploy and manage Nomadic within your own Virtual Private Cloud.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quickstart Guide" icon="bolt" href="/getting-started/quickstart">
    Get started quickly with the Nomadic tool.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>