Claude
Skills
Sign in
Back

documenso-hello-world

Included with Lifetime
$97 forever

Create a minimal working Documenso example. Use when starting a new Documenso integration, testing your setup, or learning basic document signing patterns. Trigger with phrases like "documenso hello world", "documenso example", "documenso quick start", "simple documenso code", "first document".

Generalsaasdocumensotesting

What this skill does

# Documenso Hello World

## Overview

Minimal working example that creates a document, adds a recipient with a signature field, and sends it for signing — all in one script. Uses the Documenso TypeScript SDK (v2 API) with a Python equivalent.

## Prerequisites

- Completed `documenso-install-auth` setup
- Valid API key in `DOCUMENSO_API_KEY` environment variable
- A PDF file to upload (or generate a test one below)

## Instructions

### Step 1: Generate a Test PDF (Optional)

If you don't have a PDF handy:

```bash
npm install pdf-lib
```

```typescript
// generate-test-pdf.ts
import { PDFDocument, StandardFonts } from "pdf-lib";
import { writeFileSync } from "fs";

async function createTestPdf() {
  const pdf = PDFDocument.create();
  const page = (await pdf).addPage([612, 792]); // US Letter
  const font = await (await pdf).embedFont(StandardFonts.Helvetica);
  page.drawText("Please sign below:", { x: 50, y: 700, size: 16, font });
  const bytes = await (await pdf).save();
  writeFileSync("test-contract.pdf", bytes);
  console.log("Created test-contract.pdf");
}
createTestPdf();
```

### Step 2: Complete Signing Workflow (TypeScript)

```typescript
// documenso-hello.ts
import { Documenso } from "@documenso/sdk-typescript";
import { readFileSync } from "fs";

async function main() {
  const client = new Documenso({
    apiKey: process.env.DOCUMENSO_API_KEY!,
  });

  // 1. Create a document
  const doc = await client.documents.createV0({
    title: "Hello World Contract",
  });
  console.log(`Document created: ID ${doc.documentId}`);

  // 2. Upload the PDF
  const pdfBuffer = readFileSync("test-contract.pdf");
  await client.documents.setFileV0(doc.documentId, {
    file: new Blob([pdfBuffer], { type: "application/pdf" }),
  });

  // 3. Add a recipient (signer)
  const recipient = await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
    email: "[email protected]",
    name: "Jane Doe",
    role: "SIGNER",
  });
  console.log(`Recipient added: ${recipient.recipientId}`);

  // 4. Add a signature field at specific coordinates
  await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
    recipientId: recipient.recipientId,
    type: "SIGNATURE",
    pageNumber: 1,
    pageX: 50,    // X position (left offset, percentage-based 0-100)
    pageY: 80,    // Y position (top offset, percentage-based 0-100)
    pageWidth: 30, // Width as percentage of page
    pageHeight: 5, // Height as percentage of page
  });

  // 5. Send for signing
  await client.documents.sendV0(doc.documentId);
  console.log("Document sent for signing!");
}

main().catch(console.error);
```

Run: `npx tsx documenso-hello.ts`

### Step 3: Python Equivalent

```python
# documenso_hello.py
import os
from documenso_sdk_python import Documenso

client = Documenso(api_key=os.environ["DOCUMENSO_API_KEY"])

# Create document
doc = client.documents.create_v0(title="Hello World Contract")
print(f"Document created: ID {doc.document_id}")

# Upload PDF
with open("test-contract.pdf", "rb") as f:
    client.documents.set_file_v0(doc.document_id, file=f.read())

# Add recipient
recipient = client.documents_recipients.create_v0(
    doc.document_id,
    email="[email protected]",
    name="Jane Doe",
    role="SIGNER",
)

# Add signature field
client.documents_fields.create_v0(
    doc.document_id,
    recipient_id=recipient.recipient_id,
    type="SIGNATURE",
    page_number=1,
    page_x=50,
    page_y=80,
    page_width=30,
    page_height=5,
)

# Send for signing
client.documents.send_v0(doc.document_id)
print("Document sent for signing!")
```

### Step 4: REST API Equivalent (curl)

```bash
# Create document
DOC=$(curl -s -X POST "https://app.documenso.com/api/v1/documents" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DOCUMENSO_API_KEY" \
  -F "title=Hello World Contract" \
  -F "[email protected]" | jq -r '.id')

# Add recipient
RECIP=$(curl -s -X POST "https://app.documenso.com/api/v1/documents/$DOC/recipients" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DOCUMENSO_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"[email protected]","name":"Jane Doe","role":"SIGNER"}' \
  | jq -r '.id')

# Send
curl -s -X POST "https://app.documenso.com/api/v1/documents/$DOC/send" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DOCUMENSO_API_KEY"
```

## Field Types Reference

| Type | Description | Common Use |
|------|-------------|------------|
| `SIGNATURE` | Electronic signature capture | Contract signing |
| `FREE_SIGNATURE` | Hand-drawn / upload signature | Notarized documents |
| `INITIALS` | Initials field | Page-by-page acknowledgment |
| `NAME` | Auto-filled full name | Identity confirmation |
| `EMAIL` | Auto-filled email address | Contact verification |
| `DATE` | Date picker / auto-date | Timestamp of signing |
| `TEXT` | Free text input | Custom fields (title, address) |
| `NUMBER` | Numeric input | Amounts, quantities |
| `CHECKBOX` | Boolean check | Terms acceptance |
| `DROPDOWN` | Select from options | Role selection |
| `RADIO` | Radio button group | Single-choice options |

## Document Lifecycle

```
DRAFT → (send) → PENDING → (all sign) → COMPLETED
                          → (reject)  → REJECTED
       → (cancel) →                     CANCELLED
```

## Error Handling

| Error | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| `401 Unauthorized` | Invalid or missing API key | Verify `DOCUMENSO_API_KEY` is set |
| `File too large` | PDF exceeds upload limit | Compress PDF or check plan limits |
| `Invalid field position` | pageX/pageY out of range | Use 0-100 range (percentage-based) |
| `Recipient exists` | Duplicate email on document | Update existing recipient instead |
| `Cannot send DRAFT` | Missing required fields | Add at least one recipient + field |

## Resources

- [Documenso Getting Started](https://docs.documenso.com/developers)
- [TypeScript SDK Docs](https://github.com/documenso/sdk-typescript)
- [API Reference (OpenAPI)](https://openapi.documenso.com/)
- [Field Types Documentation](https://docs.documenso.com/users/documents/fields)

## Next Steps

Proceed to `documenso-local-dev-loop` for development workflow setup or `documenso-core-workflow-a` for production document management.

Related in General