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

# API overview

> Choose the right Polaris REST endpoint and jump into smaller endpoint-specific reference pages.

Polaris provides REST endpoints at `https://api.polaris.supply`. Most endpoints are public. Add bearer auth only when you need broader historical access, account-tier visibility, or a dataset policy that requires it. Choose the endpoint that matches your task, then read the smaller page for that endpoint.

## Start with the right endpoint

| Task                                                                      | Page                                     |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Understand when you need a token and how bearer auth works                | [Authentication](/guides/authentication) |
| Discover valid sources, markets, and time bounds                          | [Catalog](/reference/catalog)            |
| List available snapshot files (standard or raw)                           | [Snapshots](/reference/snapshots)        |
| Get bulk download URLs for a UTC date, or download a snapshot file by key | [Download](/reference/download)          |

## Endpoint families

### Metadata

* `GET /catalog` for public market discovery, with optional account-tier visibility when you send bearer auth

### Historical files

* `GET /snapshots` for public hourly snapshot listing. Add `raw=true` to list venue-native raw snapshot files (requires paid auth)
* `GET /download` for bulk daily download manifests or single-file download. Use `source`/`market`/`date` for the bulk JSON manifest, or `key` for one file

## Common response patterns

`/snapshots` returns a paginated JSON response:

```json theme={null}
{
  "source": "hyperliquid",
  "market": "BTC-USD",
  "access": { "status": "open", "public_cutoff_date": null },
  "total": 2,
  "total_bytes": 987654321,
  "limit": 2,
  "has_more": false,
  "next_cursor": null,
  "snapshots": []
}
```

`/download` supports two response shapes: a bulk daily manifest when you request `source`, `market`, `date`, and `mode=json`, or a single-file redirect / JSON URL response when you request `key`.

## Recommended reading order

1. [Authentication](/guides/authentication)
2. [Catalog](/reference/catalog)
3. [Snapshots](/reference/snapshots)
4. [Download](/reference/download)

## Next steps

* Read [Authentication](/guides/authentication) if you are about to make your first request.
* Read [Market coverage](/markets/market-coverage) if you are deciding between snapshots and direct API queries.
* Read [Trades](/sdks/trades) if you want the simplest recent-data endpoint.