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

# Installation & Linking

> Install, compile, and link the Sanas Speech AI SDK, then authenticate with your API key

## What you receive

You receive two items from Sanas:

* `RemoteSDK.h` — the only header you include in your project.
* The shared library for your platform: `libRemoteSdk.so` (Linux), `libRemoteSdk.dylib` (macOS), or `RemoteSdk.dll` (Windows).

## Compile and link

Requires C++17 or newer.

```bash theme={null}
# Linux / macOS
g++ -std=c++17 my_app.cpp \
    -I/path/to/sdk/include \
    -L/path/to/sdk/lib -lRemoteSdk \
    -o my_app
```

```cpp theme={null}
#include "RemoteSDK.h"
```

At runtime the shared library must be discoverable via `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` (Linux), `DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH` (macOS), or `PATH` / rpath (Windows).

## Authentication

You authenticate with an API key from the Sanas Developer Console. The SDK uses this key to authenticate against the Sanas cloud and automatically resolve the correct server endpoint — no manual endpoint configuration is needed.

```cpp theme={null}
InitParams init;
init.apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";  // or read from environment
sdk->Initialize(init);
```

<Tip>Read the key from an environment variable rather than hard-coding it.</Tip>

```bash theme={null}
# Shell
export SANAS_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
./my_app
```

```cpp theme={null}
// C++
init.apiKey = std::getenv("SANAS_API_KEY");
```

<Card title="Next: API Lifecycle" icon="arrow-right" href="/API-Reference/Cpp-SDK/Guides/API-Lifecycle">
  Learn the six-step sequence every integration follows.
</Card>