# Getting Started

Get started with the Spice Cloud Platform in 5 mins.

Sign in, create a project, and run your first SQL query in about five minutes. No AI model or model provider API key is required.

## Get started

### 1. Sign in to the Portal with GitHub

- [Sign in with GitHub](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/getting-started/get-started/portal-login): Sign in to the Spice Cloud portal with your GitHub account, then continue to create your first Spice project.

### 2. Create a Spice project

- [Create a Spice project](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/getting-started/getting-started/portal-login-1): Create your first Spice Cloud project from scratch, select a region, and run a first SQL query in the Playground.

### 3. Add a dataset and query it

- [Add a Dataset and query data](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/getting-started/get-started/step-2-add-dataset-and-query-data): Add a dataset and query it using SQL Query in the Playground

## Optional: Add an AI model

If you have an API key for OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), or xAI (Grok), continue to add a model to the project and chat with the dataset. Skip this section if you don't have a key. Everything above works without one.

- [Add an AI Model and chat with your data (Optional)](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/getting-started/get-started/step-3-add-ai-model-and-chat-with-your-app): Optional. Add an OpenAI, Anthropic, or xAI model and chat with the NYC Taxi Trips dataset.

## Next steps

- [Next Steps](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/getting-started/get-started/next-steps)