# Quickstart

## 1. Install and sign in

```bash
pip install https://runcompute.cloud/sdk/runcompute-0.2.0-py3-none-any.whl
runcompute login
```

Requires Python 3.10 or newer. Job files (`runcompute.toml`) need 3.11 or newer.

`runcompute login` asks for an API key. Create one in the [console](/console)
by entering your email address, then paste it into the terminal. The key is
saved to `~/.runcompute/credentials.json` and the Python client picks it up
without extra setup. No payment method is needed during the preview.

## 2. Check the price first

Ask what a job would cost before you submit it. This needs no key.

```python
import runcompute

client = runcompute.Client()
for offer in client.quote(min_vram=24, work_units=4)[:3]:
    print(offer["gpu"], offer["provider"], offer["est_hours"], offer["est_cost"])
```

```text
RTX4090 Vast 7.27 2.72
L4 GCP 11.43 3.42
A6000 RunPod 8.0 4.16
```

`work_units` is how much compute the job needs, measured in A100-hours. A job
that takes 4 hours on one A100 is 4 work units. Slower GPUs take longer for
the same work.

## 3. Run your first job

Save this as `first_job.py`:

```python
import runcompute

with runcompute.Client() as client:
    job = client.run(
        name="smoke-test",
        image="pytorch/pytorch:latest",
        command=["python", "-c", "import torch; print(torch.cuda.get_device_name(0))"],
        min_vram=16,
        work_units=0.5,
        budget=5,
    )
    print("Job:", job.id)

    done = job.wait()
    print(done.status.value, f"${done.spend:.2f}")
    if not done.succeeded:
        raise SystemExit(f"{done.id} ended as {done.status.value}")
    print(done.logs(tail=10))
```

Run it with `python first_job.py`. While it waits, each lifecycle event is
printed: the machine it was placed on, checkpoints, preemptions and the move to
a new machine.

`run()` returns as soon as the job is accepted. `wait()` returns when the job
reaches a final status, so check `succeeded` before using its outputs. Pressing
Ctrl+C during `wait()` cancels the job.

## Next

- [Describe the job in a file](/docs/get-started/job-files/) instead of Python.
- [Save checkpoints](/docs/guides/training/) so a preempted job resumes.
- [Set a budget](/docs/parameters/budget/) you are comfortable with.