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

# API documentation

> The Draftable API is complemented by detailed documentation which provides information on the many facets of the API and its endpoints. For the most up to date documentation, see below for further information.

<Note>
  The reference pages linked below describe the **Draftable Compare API itself** — its endpoints, parameters and behaviour. That API surface is shared by the cloud API and API Self-Hosted, so this material is current and applies to both.

  Only the **deployment model** differs by version.
</Note>

<Warning>
  **If you are deploying API Self-Hosted, Version 2 is legacy.**

  All new self-hosted deployments **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.

  👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
</Warning>

<Tip>
  Using the **cloud** API at `api.draftable.com`? Start with [Getting started with the Draftable API](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-API-getting-started), or explore the endpoints interactively with the [API Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-API-using-the-api-explorer).
</Tip>

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Introduction to the Draftable API" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/introduction" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/introduction](https://api.draftable.com/introduction)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Overview of the comparison lifecycle" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-lifecycle" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-lifecycle](https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-lifecycle)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Creating comparisons" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/reference/creating-comparisons" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/reference/creating-comparisons](https://api.draftable.com/reference/creating-comparisons)
  </Card>

  <Card title="The comparison viewer" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-viewer" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-viewer](https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-viewer)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Performance and comparison speeds" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-speeds" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-speeds](https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-speeds)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Exporting comparisons" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/reference/exporting-comparisons" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/reference/exporting-comparisons](https://api.draftable.com/reference/exporting-comparisons)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication with the API" icon="file-lines" href="https://api.draftable.com/reference/authentication" iconType="solid" horizontal>
    [https://api.draftable.com/reference/authentication](https://api.draftable.com/reference/authentication)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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