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Quick Start

This guide walks you through your first authenticated request to a Plex Media Server in under five minutes. It includes copy-pasteable examples for curl, Node.js, and Python.

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Before you begin

You will need:
  1. The address of your Plex server, for example http://192.168.1.10:32400 or https://plex.example.com.
  2. A valid Plex token. See the Authentication guide if you do not have one yet.
  3. curl, Node.js, or Python installed.

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Set environment variables

To keep the examples copy-pasteable, store your server URL and token in environment variables: 
export PLEX_SERVER_URL="http://<your-server-ip>:32400"
export PLEX_TOKEN="<your-token>"
Never commit tokens to source control. Use environment variables or a secrets manager in production.

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Verify the server is reachable

Plex Media Server exposes server identity and capabilities at the root path. This endpoint does not require a token on most local networks: 
curl "$PLEX_SERVER_URL/"
You should receive an XML MediaContainer response with the server name, version, and other metadata. If the request fails, confirm the server address and that the server is running.

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List your libraries

List the libraries on your server: 
curl -H "X-Plex-Token: $PLEX_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  "$PLEX_SERVER_URL/library/sections"
You should receive a response containing one or more Directory entries representing your libraries.

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Request JSON responses

Plex returns XML by default. Add an Accept header to get JSON: 
curl -H "X-Plex-Token: $PLEX_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  "$PLEX_SERVER_URL/library/sections"
Many integrations prefer JSON, but some response fields and nested arrays are easier to read in XML. Use whichever format your tooling handles best.

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List items in a library

Use the library key from the previous response to list its contents. Replace <library-key> with the value of the key field, for example 1: 
curl -H "X-Plex-Token: $PLEX_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  "$PLEX_SERVER_URL/library/sections/<library-key>/all"

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Check active sessions

See what is currently playing on the server: 
curl -H "X-Plex-Token: $PLEX_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  "$PLEX_SERVER_URL/status/sessions"

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Identify your client

When you move beyond experiments, add X-Plex-* headers so the server knows which client is calling. See the Authentication guide for the full list.

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Next steps

  • Read the Authentication guide for token management best practices and how to obtain a token.
  • Explore the API Reference for available endpoints and parameters.
  • Learn how to request Accept: application/json and interpret Plex XML responses.