# Getting started

The following pages provide an overview of how to get started using the OS Downloads API. They cover the core elements on how to get started automating the download of OS OpenData and OS Premium data.

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If you are not familiar with the OS Downloads API, please read the [overview documentation](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/accessing-os-apis/os-downloads-api) before proceeding.
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## What you need?

* A basic understanding of automatic processing of JSON data and basic procedural (if-then-else) programming
* A text editor like Visual Studio Code
* A working installation of [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) and the popular [axios](https://github.com/axios/axios) module
* For [Premium data downloads](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/accessing-os-apis/os-downloads-api/getting-started/automating-os-premium-data-downloads), OS Downloads API added to an API project in the OS Data Hub with an API Key; see [getting-started-with-an-api-project](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/core-concepts/getting-started-with-an-api-project "mention") for more information

## Instructions

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Please read these pages in conjunction with [technical-specification](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/accessing-os-apis/os-downloads-api/technical-specification "mention").
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The following pages provide instructions to get started with OS OpenData and Premium data downloads:

* [automating-os-opendata-downloads](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/accessing-os-apis/os-downloads-api/getting-started/automating-os-opendata-downloads "mention")
* [automating-os-premium-data-downloads](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/accessing-os-apis/os-downloads-api/getting-started/automating-os-premium-data-downloads "mention")