# Quick Start

## Prerequisites

First, make sure you have the prerequisites described in [prerequisites](https://docs.connectly.ai/quick-start/prerequisites "mention")

## Send a WhatsApp template message

Your API requests are authenticated using API keys. Any request that doesn't include an API key will return an error.

You can generate an API key from your Dashboard at any time.

{% content-ref url="message-api/message-service-api/messageservice/send-template-message" %}
[send-template-message](https://docs.connectly.ai/message-api/message-service-api/messageservice/send-template-message)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Send a WhatsApp session message

A regular message consists of simply a textual message.

{% content-ref url="quick-start/send-whatsapp-session-message" %}
[send-whatsapp-session-message](https://docs.connectly.ai/quick-start/send-whatsapp-session-message)
{% endcontent-ref %}