Use the Ody API and SDKs
Every Ody plan includes the public REST API. Create a key in the app, then call the API directly or install an official SDK. Full reference, guides and examples live on the developer site — dev.ody.co — not in this help center.
Create an API key
You must be a workspace admin or the owner.
- Open Settings → Developer API (on a phone: More → Settings → Developer API).
- Type a Key name (for example "Zapier" or "Production server").
- Leave every scope selected for full access, or deselect scopes to limit the key (for example a read-only key for an AI assistant).
- Under Key type, choose Live or Test.
- Click Create key.
- Copy the secret from the banner "Copy your new key now — you won't see it again." Ody stores only a hash — if you lose the secret, revoke the key and create a new one.
The key list shows a masked hint (ody_live_…WXYZ or ody_test_…WXYZ), a Test badge for test keys, the scopes, and when the key was last used. Click Revoke to disable a key immediately.
Install an SDK
Official zero-dependency clients wrap the same REST API, with auto-pagination, typed errors, idempotent sends and Standard Webhooks verification:
| Language | Install | Docs |
|---|---|---|
| TypeScript / JavaScript | npm install @ody-co/sdk |
dev.ody.co/sdks/typescript |
| Python | pip install ody-sdk (import as ody) |
dev.ody.co/sdks/python |
Start with the SDK overview or the 5-minute quickstart. Prefer plain HTTP? Every example on the developer site has a cURL tab, and the machine-readable OpenAPI spec is at api.ody.co/v1/api/openapi.json.
What else is on the developer site
| Topic | Link |
|---|---|
| Authentication, scopes, Live vs Test | Authentication |
| REST API reference | API overview |
| Outbound webhooks (verify signatures, event catalog) | Webhooks |
| Connect ChatGPT or Claude via MCP | MCP |
| Switchboard (plan and build call routing with AI) | Switchboard |
The same API key powers REST, the SDKs and the MCP server. Paste a key into an MCP client with the endpoint shown under Connect to ChatGPT & Claude on the Developer API screen.
Troubleshooting
- "Couldn't create API key" — you need to be an admin or the owner of the workspace. Ask the owner to promote you, or have them create the key.
- Lost the secret — you cannot retrieve it. Revoke the key in Settings → Developer API and create a new one.
- 401 / unauthorized from your code — check the key is Live vs Test as you intended, that it hasn't been revoked, and that the
Authorization: Bearer …header uses the full secret (including theody_live_orody_test_prefix). - 403 missing scope — the key was created with a narrowed set of scopes. Create a new key with the scopes your endpoint needs, or see Scopes.
- Want Zapier / Make instead of code — many no-code tools call the REST API with the same key; see the API overview. Built-in CRM and helpdesk connections are under Which integrations does Ody support?.
Related articles
Frequently asked questions
Where are the developer docs?
Everything for builders lives at https://dev.ody.co — REST API, webhooks, MCP, Switchboard, and the TypeScript and Python SDKs. The help center only covers creating your API key in the app.
How do I install the Ody SDK?
TypeScript/JavaScript: npm install @ody-co/sdk. Python: pip install ody-sdk (import as ody). Both are at v0.6.0, zero dependencies, and include webhook verification.
Who can create an API key?
A workspace admin or the owner. Open Settings → Developer API (on a phone: More → Settings → Developer API).
What's the difference between Live and Test keys?
Live keys (ody_live_…) send real texts and place real calls. Test keys (ody_test_…) read and write real workspace data but never send real texts — sends are recorded as simulated. Use Test while you build.