> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.zinc.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Start a Device Code
> Mint a device code so the account owner can approve your agent from any device and hand it its own live API key.
How an agent with no credential gets a live key: mint a code, show the human one sentence, then poll. **No authentication required.**
```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.zinc.com/device/code \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name": "acme-restock-agent"}'
```
`name` is what the human sees on the approval screen and becomes the key's label. An empty body is valid.
## What to do with the response
| Field | Use |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `device_code` | Your half of the handshake. Send it when polling. Never show it to the human. |
| `user_code` | The short code the human types on the approval page. |
| `verification_uri_complete` | The approval page with the code already filled in. Show this one. |
| `human_message` | One sentence to paste to your operator, ready as-is. |
| `interval` | Minimum seconds between polls of [`POST /device/token`](/docs/v2/api-reference/device/redeem-device-code). |
| `expires_in` | Seconds until the code stops working. |
Send an existing `zn_test_` [sandbox key](/docs/v2/api-reference/sandbox/mint-sandbox-key) as the bearer and the sandbox comes along: on approval its orders move onto the owner's account, the sandbox key keeps working, and the account may earn a starter credit.
Show `human_message` and wait. Do not open a browser yourself, and do not start a second code while one is pending.
## OpenAPI
````yaml versions/latest.json POST /device/code
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
title: Zinc
summary: >-
Zinc lets you search, buy, and return items from top online retailers with a
single API.
description: >-
Search, buy, and return items from top online retailers with a single API.
Supports AI agent ordering via MPP (HTTP 402) — no account required.
Supported retailers include 1-800-Flowers, Ace Hardware, Amazon, Amazon DE,
Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Chewy, Gap, IBS, Lowe's, Macys, Partstown, and 12
more. Ships to the US and 2 other countries (DE, IT).
version: '2026-08-21'
x-logo:
url: https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/zinc/logo/light.png
contact:
name: Zinc API Support
email: support@zinc.com
url: https://zinc.com/docs
x-guidance: >-
Zinc lets AI agents buy products from online retailers via a single API. Use
POST /agent/orders to place an order — no Zinc account needed, payment is
handled via MPP (HTTP 402 flow). Provide a product URL from a supported
retailer, a shipping address, and max_price in cents. The API charges
max_price + $1 API fee upfront and refunds the difference on completion. To
find products first, the /agent/* data endpoints (search, products/search,
products/offers, products/details) are MPP-paid at $0.01 per call;
/agent/search returns orderable URLs to feed straight into /agent/orders.
GET /retailers lists supported retailers for free (no payment or account).
Authenticated equivalents (orders, products, managed-accounts) require a
Bearer token (API key prefixed zn_); those orders are paid from a prefunded
wallet — GET /wallet/me returns the spendable balance and per-order fee, so
check it before POST /orders to avoid a 402. Docs: https://zinc.com/docs
Supported retailers include 1-800-Flowers, Ace Hardware, Amazon, Amazon DE,
Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Chewy, Gap, IBS, Lowe's, Macys, Partstown, and 12
more, shipping to the US and 2 other countries (DE, IT).
x-supported-retailers:
- 1-800-Flowers
- Ace Hardware
- Amazon
- Amazon DE
- Barnes & Noble
- Best Buy
- Chewy
- Gap
- IBS
- Lowe's
- Macys
- Partstown
- Pokémon Center
- Sephora
- Target
- The Home Depot
- TikTok
- Uniqlo
- Walmart
- Wayfair
- Zinc
- eBay
- libraccio
- zazzle
x-supported-countries:
- US
- DE
- IT
servers:
- url: https://api.zinc.com
description: Production
security:
- BearerAuth: []
paths:
/device/code:
post:
tags:
- device
summary: Start a sign-in the account owner can approve from any device
description: >-
Mint a device code. No account needed.
Send your `zn_test_` sandbox key as the bearer and the sandbox comes
along:
when the owner approves, its orders and key move onto their account and
your sandbox key keeps working, alongside the live key you receive.
operationId: create_device_code_device_code_post
parameters:
- name: authorization
in: header
required: false
schema:
anyOf:
- type: string
- type: 'null'
title: Authorization
requestBody:
content:
application/json:
schema:
anyOf:
- $ref: '#/components/schemas/DeviceCodeCreate'
- type: 'null'
title: Body
responses:
'201':
description: Successful Response
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/DeviceCodeResponse'
'422':
description: Validation Error
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/HTTPValidationError'
components:
schemas:
DeviceCodeCreate:
properties:
name:
anyOf:
- type: string
maxLength: 100
- type: 'null'
title: Name
description: >-
What to call yourself on the approval screen and as the key's label,
e.g. 'Claude Code' or 'acme-restock-agent'.
type: object
title: DeviceCodeCreate
DeviceCodeResponse:
properties:
device_code:
type: string
title: Device Code
description: >-
Your half of the handshake. Keep it; send it when polling. Never
show it to the human.
user_code:
type: string
title: User Code
description: The short code the human sees on the approval page.
verification_uri:
type: string
title: Verification Uri
description: Where the human approves; they will be asked for `user_code`.
verification_uri_complete:
type: string
title: Verification Uri Complete
description: Same page with the code filled in. Show this one.
expires_in:
type: integer
title: Expires In
description: Seconds until this code stops working.
interval:
type: integer
title: Interval
description: Minimum seconds between polls of POST /device/token.
human_message:
type: string
title: Human Message
description: One sentence to show your operator, ready to paste.
next:
type: string
title: Next
description: What to do now.
type: object
required:
- device_code
- user_code
- verification_uri
- verification_uri_complete
- expires_in
- interval
- human_message
- next
title: DeviceCodeResponse
HTTPValidationError:
properties:
detail:
items:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/ValidationError'
type: array
title: Detail
type: object
title: HTTPValidationError
ValidationError:
properties:
loc:
items:
anyOf:
- type: string
- type: integer
type: array
title: Location
msg:
type: string
title: Message
type:
type: string
title: Error Type
type: object
required:
- loc
- msg
- type
title: ValidationError
securitySchemes:
BearerAuth:
type: apiKey
in: header
name: Authorization
description: Zinc API key (Bearer zn_...)
````