---
description: Use the Cloudflare Workers AI REST API to deploy a large language model (LLM).
title: REST API
image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/og-docs.png
---

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> Documentation Index  
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/llms.txt  
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# REST API

Last updated Aug 24, 2026|Copy as Markdown|[View as Markdown](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/get-started/rest-api/index.md)|[Agent setup](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/agent-setup/)

This guide will instruct you through setting up and deploying your first Workers AI project. You will use the Workers AI REST API to experiment with a large language model (LLM).

## Prerequisites

Sign up for a [Cloudflare account ↗](https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up/workers-and-pages) if you have not already.

## 1\. Get API token and Account ID

You need your API token and Account ID to use the REST API.

To get these values:

1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to the **Workers AI** page.  
[Go to **Workers AI** ↗](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/ai/workers-ai)
2. Select **Use REST API**.
3. Get your API token:

  1. Select **Create a Workers AI API Token**.
  2. Review the prefilled information.
  3. Select **Create API Token**.
  4. Select **Copy API Token**.
  5. Save that value for future use. This token will be visible [on your profile](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/api/get-started/create-token/).
4. For **Get Account ID**, copy the value for **Account ID**. Save that value for future use.

Note

If you choose to [create an API token](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/fundamentals/api/get-started/create-token/) instead of using the template, that token will need permissions for both `Workers AI - Read` and `Workers AI - Edit`.

## 2\. Run a model via API

After creating your API token, authenticate and make requests to the API using your API token in the request.

You will use the [Execute AI model](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/api/resources/ai/methods/run/) endpoint to run the [@cf/meta/llama-3.1-8b-instruct](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/models/llama-3.1-8b-instruct/) model:

```bash
curl https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/{ACCOUNT_ID}/ai/run/@cf/meta/llama-3.1-8b-instruct \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer {API_TOKEN}' \
  -d '{ "prompt": "Where did the phrase Hello World come from" }'
```

Replace the values for `{ACCOUNT_ID}` and `{API_TOKEN}`.

The API response will look like the following:

```json
{
	"result": {
		"response": "Hello, World first appeared in 1974 at Bell Labs when Brian Kernighan included it in the C programming language example. It became widely used as a basic test program due to simplicity and clarity. It represents an inviting greeting from a program to the world."
	},
	"success": true,
	"errors": [],
	"messages": []
}
```

This example execution uses the `@cf/meta/llama-3.1-8b-instruct` model, but you can use any of the models in the [Workers AI models catalog](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/models/). If using another model, you will need to replace `{model}` with your desired model name.

By completing this guide, you have created a Cloudflare account (if you did not have one already) and an API token that grants Workers AI read permissions to your account. You executed the [@cf/meta/llama-3.1-8b-instruct](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/models/llama-3.1-8b-instruct/) model using a cURL command from the terminal and received an answer to your prompt in a JSON response.

## Related resources

* [Models](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/models/) \- Browse the Workers AI models catalog.
* [AI SDK](https://e8aee267.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/workers-ai/configuration/ai-sdk) \- Learn how to integrate with an AI model.

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