# Speech-to-Text Overview (/en/api-reference/api-ref/speech-to-text)

> For AI agents: see the complete documentation index at [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

The Speech-to-Text REST API provides server-side access to real-time transcription, translation, and caption recording. Start and manage transcription agents that join your RTC channels and output captions from your backend.

## API basics [#api-basics]

All requests are sent to the host `api.agora.io`.

* **Authentication**: All APIs require [Basic Auth](authentication) for authentication.
* **Request**: Refer to the respective API examples.
* **Response**: The response content is in JSON format.
* **Base URL**: `https://api.agora.io/api/speech-to-text/v1/projects/<appid>` where `<appid>` is the Agora app ID for your project.

## REST APIs [#rest-apis]

* [Start a Real-time STT agent](join): Creates and starts a transcription task that joins the specified RTC channel.
* [Query the task status](query): Retrieves the status of a transcription task.
* [Stop a Real-time STT agent](leave): Stops a running transcription task.
* [Update task configuration](update): Updates the configuration of a running transcription task.
* [List Real-time STT agents](list): Retrieves the list of transcription tasks for the project.