getting-started.md

layout	default
title	Installation and first draft

Installation and first draft

This is the shortest path from a Markdown file to a safe unpublished Substack draft.

1. Install

python -m pip install python-substack
substack --version

2. Authenticate

Create a .env file in your working directory. Cookie authentication is usually the most reliable option:

COOKIES_PATH=cookies.json
PUBLICATION_URL=https://example.substack.com

See authentication and cookies for browser-cookie export, password authentication, and secret-handling guidance.

Confirm the selected account and publication:

substack status

3. Write Markdown

Save this as first-draft.md:

# My first automated draft

This draft was created from **Markdown**.

- Review it in Substack.
- Publish only when it is ready.

Markdown source:

Rendered in Substack:

4. Create the draft

substack drafts create first-draft.md

drafts create always creates an unpublished draft. It never schedules, sends, publishes, or deletes content. Open the returned draft ID in Substack and review it there.

Continue with the unified CLI guide or use the Python SDK.