> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://expected-parrot.ghost.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Getting started using EDSL
- URL: https://expected-parrot.ghost.io/getting-started-using-edsl/
- Published: 2025-03-25T20:38:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-17T15:55:47.000Z
- Description: If you're totally new to EDSL or haven't used it in a while, these quick steps will get you started running example code and exploring new features in just a few minutes.
- Author: John Horton
- Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1792252444613, #Import 2026-10-17 15:54

### Step 1: Install EDSL

Open your terminal and run the following command to install the EDSL package:

`pip install edsl`

To update an existing installation:

`pip install --upgrade edsl`

### Step 2: Create an account

[Sign up for a free account](https://www.expectedparrot.com/login?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io) to access special features for conducting research at the Expected Parrot server.

Your account comes with **$25 in credits** for API calls to [available models](https://www.expectedparrot.com/models?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io).

### Step 3: Choose where to conduct your research

You can run surveys remotely at the Expected Parrot server or locally on your own machine.

**Activate remote inference** at your [**Settings**](https://www.expectedparrot.com/home/settings?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io)page:

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/8c/bc8c40e2-e3d8-4888-8bb9-3276553ff8a4/content/images/2026/10/a24e32ec-8e49-4fce-a7cc-8ed3e8dfbef1_1100x639-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.expectedparrot.com/home/settings?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io)

This allows you to:

- Run surveys at the Expected Parrot server.
- Use your Expected Parrot API key to access all available models.
- Automatically store and retrieve responses from the [Universal Remote Cache](https://docs.expectedparrot.com/en/latest/remote%5Fcaching.html?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io).

[Learn more about remote features](https://www.expectedparrot.com/coop-how-it-works?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io).

### Step 4: Manage API keys

You can use your own API keys for LLMs and/or an Expected Parrot API key that provides access to all available models.

Manage keys at your [**Keys**](https://www.expectedparrot.com/home/keys?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io)page:

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/8c/bc8c40e2-e3d8-4888-8bb9-3276553ff8a4/content/images/2026/10/932e75fc-4c16-48ae-a009-e1da5f470f81_1100x638-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.expectedparrot.com/home/keys?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io)

- Use your **Expected Parrot API key** to access all available models.
- Add **your own keys** from Anthropic, OpenAI and other service providers.
- Share keys with your team, track usage, set spending limits and easily switch between providers at any time.

[Learn more about managing keys](https://www.expectedparrot.com/getting-started/edsl-api-keys?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io).

### Step 5: Run the starter tutorial

[Download and run the starter tutorial](https://www.expectedparrot.com/content/RobinHorton/starter-tutorial?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io) notebook to try example code. You can also explore demo notebooks for a variety of use cases at our [documentation page](https://docs.expectedparrot.com/?ref=expected-parrot.ghost.io) and easily modify them for your purposes.

Have a use case that you don't see covered? Get in touch and we'll create one for you!