> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.beam.cloud/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> The open-source serverless cloud for AI and ML workloads

Beam lets you run functions, REST APIs, task queues, and sandboxes on CPUs and GPUs, end to end. There's no infrastructure to manage and no YAML to write: you define everything in code, and Beam runs it in containers that launch in under a second.

## Get Started

Create a free account on [Beam](https://platform.beam.cloud) to get \$30 in credit, then pick a path to start building. Most people start with the SDK and add the docs MCP if their editor speaks it (Cursor, Claude).

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Run Your First App" icon="rocket" href="/v2/getting-started/quickstart">
    Install the SDK, run a function, and deploy a web endpoint in minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add to Cursor or Claude" icon="plug" href="/v2/getting-started/add-to-cursor-claude">
    Connect the Beam docs MCP so your AI editor has live context.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What You Can Build

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Endpoints and Web APIs" icon="bolt" href="/v2/endpoint/overview">
    Deploy functions as autoscaling REST APIs on CPUs and GPUs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sandboxes" icon="box" href="/v2/sandbox/overview">
    Run untrusted or LLM-generated code in secure, isolated environments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="GPU Inference" icon="microchip" href="/v2/environment/gpu">
    Serve ML and LLM inference on on-demand GPUs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Task Queues" icon="layer-group" href="/v2/task-queue/running-tasks">
    Process heavy or long-running jobs asynchronously.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Functions and Scheduled Jobs" icon="cloud" href="/v2/function/running-functions">
    Run one-off functions, batch jobs, and cron schedules with no timeouts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Host Any Container" icon="server" href="/v2/pod/web-service">
    Deploy any existing Docker image as a web service.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Keep Exploring

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Core Concepts" icon="compass" href="/v2/getting-started/core-concepts">
    Understand how functions, endpoints, and sandboxes work.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Examples" icon="grid" href="/v2/examples/overview">
    Browse end-to-end examples for real workloads.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  The [Python SDK](/v2/reference/py-sdk) provides Beam's decorator programming model (functions, endpoints, task queues, and sandboxes). The [TypeScript SDK](/v2/reference/ts-sdk) provides programmatic access for creating sandboxes and calling deployed endpoints.
</Note>

## Community

Beam is completely open source. Star the repo, ask questions, and share what you build.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="GitHub" icon="github" href="https://github.com/beam-cloud/beta9">
    Star the repo and contribute.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Slack" icon="slack" href="https://join.slack.com/t/beam-cloud/shared_invite/zt-3enuvj3r7-OeAzVPYvyqQHy9avNrLL0w">
    Join the community and get help.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Enterprise

Running Beam at scale or need self-hosting and dedicated support? [Get in touch](https://calendly.com/elimernit/30min) or reach us at [founders@beam.cloud](mailto:founders@beam.cloud).