How to get started with Shen AI?

Now that we’ve covered the basics in an introduction to Shen AI, to prepare for your integration. Before you start writing code, it's worth taking a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the resources available to you and the steps involved in the process.

This guide will help you get oriented. You'll learn what you need before you begin, where to find the SDK and your credentials, and how the integration journey is organized so you know exactly what to do next.

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What you’ll need

Before you can integrate Shen AI into your application, make sure you have four things ready.

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An active Shen AI account

To integrate Shen AI into your product, you need to create an account in the Shen AI Platform. Once you’re logged in, you’ll be able to create a license and SDK key.

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A valid license and SDK key

Your license and SDK Key authorize your application to use the Shen AI SDK. Once your subscription has been activated, you'll find your credentials in the Shen AI Platform. You'll use them later when initializing the SDK. 

Learn more about how to use the key during SDK initialization in this article.

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The SDK package

The next thing you'll need is the SDK itself. Shen AI supports multiple platforms and frameworks, so the installation method depends on the type of application you're building. For most platforms, the SDK can be installed directly through the appropriate package manager. You can find the download files inside the Shen AI Platform, under “Download SDK”.

We walk through the installation process in more detail for each supported platform in these articles:

- Flutter
- React Native
- iOS
- Android
- Web
- Capacitor
- MAUI
- Linux (Headless, C)
- Linux (Headless, Python)

An application to integrate with

If you're adding Shen AI to an existing product, you're ready to begin. If you're evaluating the SDK or exploring its capabilities, we recommend starting with one of the sample applications available on GitHub. They demonstrate a complete integration and are a great way to understand how the different pieces fit together before implementing the SDK in your own project.

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Where you can find your assets and credentials

As you work through your integration, you'll primarily use two resources: the Developer Portal and the Shen AI Platform.

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Developer Portal 

The Developer Portal is your technical reference. This is where you'll find installation guides, platform-specific documentation, API references, sample projects, tutorials, and troubleshooting resources. Whenever you're implementing a feature or looking for technical details, this should be your first stop.

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Shen AI Platform

The Shen AI Platform is where you'll manage your Shen AI account. Here you can access your SDK keys and licenses, download resources that require authentication, and manage your subscription and other account-related settings.

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Understanding the integration journey

Although every application is different, most Shen AI integrations follow the same sequence.

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Choose the SDK and check system requirements

The first step is choosing the SDK that matches your platform or framework. Once you've done that, you'll verify that your development environment meets the system requirements before installing the SDK.

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Install SDK and initialize it

After the SDK has been installed, you'll initialize it using your SDK key and configure the settings required for your application. Once initialization is complete, you're ready to begin integrating Shen AI into your user experience.

Learn more about each integration step in these guides:

- Shen AI installation

- System requirements

- Shen AI initialization

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Learn from integration examples

If you prefer learning by example, one of the quickest ways to understand the SDK is to explore one of the example applications available on GitHub.

The repository contains complete integration examples for every supported platform, including Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, and Web. Each example demonstrates how the SDK is integrated into a real application and includes platform-specific setup instructions to help you get started.

Keep in mind that you'll still need to download the appropriate SDK package from the Developer Portal and use your own SDK key or license to run the examples. Once everything is set up, they're an excellent reference when integrating Shen AI into your own application.

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Need help?

If you run into issues during the integration process, the Developer Portal should be your first stop. It contains the technical documentation you'll need to install, initialize, and configure the SDK, as well as guidance for common web integration issues.

If you can't find the answer you're looking for, you can contact the Shen AI team through the support channels available inside the Shen AI Platform.

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Next step

Now that you know where to find your credentials, the SDK, and the supporting resources, you're ready to begin the integration itself.

Continue with Installing the Shen AI SDK, where you'll learn how to choose the correct package for your platform and complete the installation.

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