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

# Knouds — Build AI Pipelines and Deploy as API

> Knouds is a visual AI pipeline editor. Drag-and-drop nodes to build image, video, music, and LLM workflows, then deploy them as REST API endpoints.

Knouds lets you build AI-powered workflows on a visual canvas and deploy them as production-ready API endpoints — no code required for the canvas, and full programmatic control when you need it. Connect image generators, video models, LLMs, and music generators into pipelines that run with a single API call.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Create your first workflow and run it via API in under 5 minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api/overview">
    Full reference for the Knouds REST API — run workflows, call models, manage workflows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Node Types" icon="diagram-project" href="/nodes/inputs-outputs">
    Learn about every node type available on the canvas: inputs, generators, LLMs, and more.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plans & Billing" icon="credit-card" href="/billing/plans">
    Understand credits, tier plans, and how to top up your balance.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How Knouds works

Knouds is built around three ideas: **nodes**, **workflows**, and **deployments**.

* **Nodes** are the building blocks — each one represents an operation like generating an image, running an LLM prompt, or accepting an input from your API caller.
* **Workflows** are collections of connected nodes. You wire them together on the canvas to form a pipeline.
* **Deployments** make a workflow callable as an API endpoint. Any approved Knouds account can call a deployed workflow via `POST /api/workflows/:slug/run` using an API key.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign up and get approved">
    Create an account at [knouds.ai](https://knouds.ai). New accounts go through a brief approval step before you can run workflows.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build a workflow on the canvas">
    Drag nodes from the sidebar, connect them with wires, and configure each node's settings. Add a **Request Input** node to define the inputs your API callers will provide.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate your API key">
    Open the [Developer Dashboard](https://knouds.ai/app/api/keys), click **Create Key**, and pick a preset (Read-only / Workflow Deploy / Webhook receiver / Full deploy). Copy the plaintext value — it's shown once. Pro tier or higher is required to create usable keys.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Call your workflow">
    Send a `POST` request to `https://knouds.ai/api/workflows/your-workflow-slug/run` with your inputs in the body and your API key in the `x-api-key` header.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Build your first pipeline" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/guides/build-first-pipeline">
    Step-by-step guide to building and running a real workflow.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deploy as API" icon="cloud-arrow-up" href="/guides/deploy-as-api">
    Learn how to make your workflow callable from any external system.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/authentication">
    How to create API keys and authenticate your requests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Credits & usage" icon="coins" href="/concepts/credits">
    Understand how credits work and how each model consumes them.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>