---
Source: https://docs.microblink.com/extraction/api/quick-setup
Title: Quick setup
---

# Quick setup

<!-- interactive component omitted -->


## Prerequisites

- Install **[Docker](https://www.docker.com/)**
- Sign up on our [DevHub](https://developer.microblink.com) and contact sales
  via [sales@microblink.com](mailto:sales@microblink.com).
  They’re going to provide you with a `LICENSEE` and a `LICENSE_KEY` which you’ll need in the next steps.

## Step 1: Running the API with Docker

You can run it using Docker Compose.
Save the following `docker-compose.yaml` file:

```yaml title='docker-compose.yaml'
version: '3'
services:
  api:
    image: microblink/api:latest
    environment:
      - LICENSEE=your-licensee
      - LICENSE_KEY=your-key
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      # Please keep the following two lines in your docker compose and help us with better ping statistics. Only relevant for licenses with ping.
      - /etc/machine-id:/etc/machine-id
      - /var/lib/dbus/machine-id:/var/lib/dbus/machine-id
```
In the file, make sure to set the **LICENSEE** and **LICENSE_KEY** values.

Then, run:

```bash
docker-compose up
```

Alternatively, you can run the Microblink API using Docker with the following command:

```
docker run -p 8080:8080
-e "LICENSEE=xxxx"
-e "LICENSE_KEY=xxxx"
-v /etc/machine-id:/etc/machine-id
-v /var/lib/dbus/machine-id:/var/lib/dbus/machine-id
microblink/api
```

## Step 2: Testing the API setup

Once the API is running, you can verify the setup by sending a test request using `curl`:

```bash
curl --location --json '{"imageFront": {"imageUrl": "https://storage.googleapis.com/microblink-data-public/microblink-api/test-set/blinkid/CRO_ID_FRONT/CRO_ID_FRONT_sample1_with_disclaimer.jpg"}, "imageBack": {"imageUrl": "https://storage.googleapis.com/microblink-data-public/microblink-api/test-set/blinkid/CRO_ID_BACK/CRO_ID_BACK_sample_with_disclaimer.jpg"}}' http://localhost:8080/blinkid-multi-side
```

If the setup is correct, you should receive a JSON response with the document recognition results.

If you want to filter out the result a bit, you can use jq:

```bash
curl --location --json '{"imageFront": {"imageUrl": "https://storage.googleapis.com/microblink-data-public/microblink-api/test-set/blinkid/CRO_ID_FRONT/CRO_ID_FRONT_sample1_with_disclaimer.jpg"}, "imageBack": {"imageUrl": "https://storage.googleapis.com/microblink-data-public/microblink-api/test-set/blinkid/CRO_ID_BACK/CRO_ID_BACK_sample_with_disclaimer.jpg"}}' http://localhost:8080/blinkid-multi-side | jq '.data.firstName, .data.lastName, .data.processingStatus'
```

If you want to see more examples, feel free to use our [Postman collection](/extraction/api/self-hosted-postman-collection.json).


Last updated on Aug 6, 2026