# Start compute endpoint

`POST /projects/{project_id}/endpoints/{endpoint_id}/start`

Starts a compute endpoint. The compute endpoint is ready to use after the last operation in the chain finishes successfully.

An `endpoint_id` has an `ep-` prefix. For information about compute endpoints, see [Manage computes](/guides/manage-operate-manage-computes).

[Markdown for AI context](/guides/apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-start-project-endpoint)

```bash title="REST API - curl"
curl "https://console.neon.tech/api/v2/projects/$PROJECT_ID/endpoints/$ENDPOINT_ID/start" \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NEON_API_KEY"
```

Every field below is optional. An empty body works too.

```typescript title="Also available in"
import { createNeonClient, raw } from '@neon/sdk';

const neon = createNeonClient({ apiKey: process.env.NEON_API_KEY });
const { data } = await raw.startProjectEndpoint({
  client: neon.client,
  path: {
    project_id: process.env.PROJECT_ID,
    endpoint_id: process.env.ENDPOINT_ID
  }
});
```

## Parameters

Project ID

`project_id`

string

The Neon project ID

Endpoint ID

`endpoint_id`

string

The endpoint ID

## Response

200

Started the specified compute endpoint

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## Errors

default

General error

This endpoint can return the standard Neon API error response.

Response fields

- `message` Required. Human-readable error message.
- `code` Required. Machine-readable error code.
- `request_id` Optional. Request identifier for debugging. You can provide one with the `X-Request-ID` header.

Retry guidance

If no response is returned, the request may still have reached the server. This is why retry safety depends on the method and status code.

Idempotent methods (`GET`, `HEAD`, `OPTIONS`) are generally safe to retry after a network error or timeout. Non-idempotent methods (`POST`, `PATCH`, `DELETE`, `PUT`) can change state, so avoid automatic retries unless your workflow can tolerate duplicate effects.

Responses with `423 Locked` or `503 Service Unavailable` are safe to retry. `423 Locked` means the resource is temporarily locked, usually because another operation is in progress.

## Related pages

- [Create compute endpoint](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-create-project-endpoint.md)
- [Delete compute endpoint](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-delete-project-endpoint.md)
- [List compute endpoints](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-list-project-endpoints.md)
- [Restart compute endpoint](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-restart-project-endpoint.md)
- [Retrieve compute endpoint details](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-get-project-endpoint.md)
- [Suspend compute endpoint](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-suspend-project-endpoint.md)
- [Update compute endpoint](./apis-sdks-reference-api-endpoints-update-project-endpoint.md)

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