# API documentation

Portainer exposes an HTTP API that you can use to automate everything you do via the Portainer UI. You can also use Portainer as a gateway (HTTP queries against the Portainer API) to the underlying Docker/Kubernetes API.

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You will need an access token in order to use the Portainer API. If you have not already set up an access token for the API, we have [instructions on how to do so](https://docs.portainer.io/sts/api/access).
{% endhint %}

You can find our API documentation here:

* [Business Edition (BE) 2.40.0 API Documentation](https://api-docs.portainer.io/?edition=ee\&version=2.40.0) 
* [Community Edition (CE) 2.40.0 API Documentation](https://api-docs.portainer.io/?edition=ce\&version=2.40.0)

We have also provided some examples of API usage.

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[examples](https://docs.portainer.io/sts/api/examples)
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