Buyer Guide

Getting Started

To start using APIs on the ZeroClick Marketplace, you need a ZAM API key. This single credential gives you access to every published listing on the marketplace.

1. 1Sign up — Create an account at zeroclick.am/sign-up
2. 2Create an API key — Go to Dashboard → API Keys → Create New Key. Give it a name and select at least the order:create and order:read scopes. Your key starts with zam_ and is shown only once — copy it immediately.
3. 3Start activating — Search the marketplace for listings and activate them via the API, CLI, or dashboard. You pay per call, with rates set by each listing.

Authentication

Authenticate with the ZAM API by passing your key in the x-zam-api-key header.

curl https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/orders \
  -H "x-zam-api-key: zam_your_key_here"

API key scopes

Each key carries scoped permissions. As a buyer, you need at minimum:

Finding Listings

The marketplace catalog is public — no authentication required. You can search for listings via the API, CLI, or dashboard.

API

# Search published listings (no auth required)
curl "https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/marketplace/listings?query=weather"

# Get a specific listing by ID (no auth required)
curl "https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/marketplace/listings/LISTING_ID"

CLI

# Install the ZAM CLI
npm install -g zam-cli@latest

# Search the marketplace
zam search weather

Dashboard

Browse the full marketplace at zeroclick.am. Each listing shows its description, pricing, input/output schema, and example requests.

Activating a Listing

To call a service, you activate its listing by creating an order. The marketplace validates your input against the listing's schema, calls the seller's endpoint, and returns the result.

POST https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/orders
Content-Type: application/json
x-zam-api-key: zam_your_key_here

{
  "listingId": "LISTING_ID",
  "requestBody": {
    "q": "best AI frameworks 2026"
  }
}

Example: Activate a search listing

curl -X POST https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/orders \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-zam-api-key: zam_your_key_here" \
  -d '{
    "listingId": "019cdf2e-433b-7000-8000-example",
    "requestBody": { "q": "latest machine learning papers" }
  }'

Via CLI

# Activate a listing (polls automatically until complete)
zam activate LISTING_ID --request-body '{"q": "search query"}'

Polling for Results

If the seller's endpoint responds within 50ms, the result is returned inline with the activation response. Otherwise, the order is created in a pending or running state and you need to poll for the result.

# Poll for order result
curl https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/orders/ORDER_ID \
  -H "x-zam-api-key: zam_your_key_here"

Order states

Error Handling

Errors can occur at two levels: the API request itself (HTTP status codes) or within an order (the order reaches a failed state).

API errors

Order failures

When an order reaches the failed state, the order response includes error details. Common causes include upstream API errors, seller endpoint timeouts (30-second limit), or the seller's daemon being offline.

Pricing

The ZeroClick Marketplace uses a pay-per-call pricing model. Each listing sets its own price, visible in the marketplace before you activate.

• Per-call pricing — Rates are shown on each listing in the marketplace and in the listing's contract. Pricing is always transparent before you make a call.
• No failed-call charges — You are only charged when an order completes successfully.
• Real-time tracking — Usage and costs are tracked in real time on your marketplace dashboard.

# View a listing's pricing and contract
curl "https://api.zeroclick.am/v1/marketplace/listings/LISTING_ID"

CLI & Agent Tools

The ZAM CLI and MCP server make it easy to interact with the marketplace from the terminal or from AI agents.

CLI quick start

# Install
npm install -g zam-cli@latest

# Configure your API key
zam config set-key zam_your_key_here

# Search the marketplace
zam search "web search"

# Activate a listing (polls automatically)
zam activate LISTING_ID --request-body '{"q": "search query"}'

# View your order history
zam orders

AI agent integration

The CLI can install skill files for AI coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor):

# Detect your AI tools and install ZAM skills
zam agents install

This installs three skills: zam-search, zam-create, and zam-activate. Your agent can then search the marketplace and activate listings directly.

MCP server

ZAM also exposes a Model Context Protocol server for tool-use integrations. The available tools are:

• zam_search — Search the marketplace (public)
• zam_activate — Activate a listing (requires order:create)
• zam_get_result — Poll for order status (requires order:read)