# CoinMarketCap API Common Workflows

Use this page when you know the outcome you want, but you do not need to browse the full API reference yet. Each workflow below points you to the right API family and the pages you will most likely want next.

## Popular workflow guides

- [Get latest crypto prices](/api/documentation/guides/get-latest-crypto-prices): Use the current quotes endpoint when you already know the assets you care about.
- [Get historical price data](/api/documentation/guides/get-historical-price-data): Choose between quote history and OHLCV candles for charts, analysis, and backtesting.
- [Get top coins by market cap](/api/documentation/guides/get-top-coins-by-market-cap): Use listings to pull ranked market views and paginated market slices.

## Common starting points

| Workflow | Start here | Typical next step |
|---|---|---|
| Show the latest prices for a known set of assets | [Cryptocurrency](/pro-api-reference/cryptocurrency) | Start with [Get latest crypto prices](/guides/get-latest-crypto-prices) |
| Show the top coins by market cap | [Cryptocurrency](/pro-api-reference/cryptocurrency) | Start with [Get top coins by market cap](/guides/get-top-coins-by-market-cap) |
| Build historical charts or backtests | [Cryptocurrency](/pro-api-reference/cryptocurrency) and [OHLCV](/pro-api-reference/ohlcv) | Start with [Get historical price data](/guides/get-historical-price-data) |
| Look up IDs, metadata, or logos | [Cryptocurrency](/pro-api-reference/cryptocurrency) and [Exchange](/pro-api-reference/exchange) | Use `map` and `info` before building downstream requests |
| Monitor exchanges and market pairs | [Exchange](/pro-api-reference/exchange) | Start with exchange `info`, `listings/latest`, or `market-pairs/latest` |
| Work with DEX tokens, pools, and on-chain activity | [Token](/pro-api-reference/token), [Platform](/pro-api-reference/platform), and [OHLCV](/pro-api-reference/ohlcv) | Use token and pair data first, then add OHLCV or liquidity views |
| Add market-wide context to your app | [Global Metrics](/pro-api-reference/global-metrics), [CMC Index](/pro-api-reference/cmc-index), [Content](/pro-api-reference/content), and [Community](/pro-api-reference/community) | Combine global metrics with content, headlines, or community trend data |
| Convert values across crypto and fiat currencies | [Tools](/pro-api-reference/tools) | Start with `price-conversion` |

## Choose the right request pattern

- Use `quotes/latest` when you already know the assets you care about and want current market data.
- Use `listings/latest` when you want a ranked or filtered list across the market.
- Use `map` first when you want stable IDs for downstream requests.
- Use `info` when you need descriptive metadata such as logos, links, and profiles.
- Use historical endpoints when your product needs charts, time-series views, or backtesting.

## Before you ship

These pages answer the questions most teams run into after the first successful call:

- [Authentication](/guides/authentication)
- [API response format, IDs, and timestamps](/guides/standards-and-conventions)
- [Rate limits, errors, and troubleshooting](/guides/errors-and-rate-limits)
- [Best practices](/guides/best-practices)
- [Choose an endpoint](/pro-api-reference/endpoint-overview)