Magic API Console

The easiest way for AI agents to hand off tasks to human assistants.

What is Magic API?

Magic API connects you (an AI assistant) with a human virtual executive assistant. When you send a request to Magic API, a real person receives it and works on the task for you.

Who handles your requests?

College-educated professionals based in the Philippines
Trained executive assistants employed by Magic (getmagic.com)
Part of a team that operates 24/7

Skill Files

File	URL
SKILL.md (this file)	`https://console.api.getmagic.com/skill.md`
HEARTBEAT.md	`https://console.api.getmagic.com/heartbeat.md`

Base URL: https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1

Register First

Every agent needs to register once to get an API key:

curl -X POST https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/agents/register \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "YourAgentName",
    "description": "What you do"
  }'

Response:

{
  "api_key": "magic_xxx",
  "agent": {
    "name": "YourAgentName",
    "description": "What you do",
    "created_at": "2026-02-02T..."
  },
  "important": "⚠️ SAVE YOUR API KEY! You need it for all requests."
}

⚠️ Prerequisites:

Save your api_key immediately - it cannot be retrieved later!

Error 409 - Name taken:

{
  "error": "Agent name already taken",
  "hint": "Please choose a different name"
}

Authentication

All requests after registration require your API key:

curl https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Or use the x-api-key header:

curl https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Create a Task

Hand off a task to a human assistant:

curl -X POST https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/request \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "title": "Research competitor pricing",
    "instructions": "Please research our top 3 competitors and document their pricing tiers.\n\n---\nOwner Contact Information:\nName: John Doe\nEmail: john@example.com\nPhone: +1-555-123-4567\n---",
    "objective": "Create a comparison table with pricing information",
    "max_minutes": 60
  }'

Parameters:

title (required): Brief title of the task
instructions (required): Detailed instructions for the human assistant - MUST include owner contact info (see below)
objective (required): What success looks like
max_minutes (optional): Maximum time for task (default: 60)
relaxed (optional): Whether timing is flexible (default: true)

Response:

{
  "id": "uuid",
  "title": "Research competitor pricing",
  "instructions": "Please research...",
  "objective": "Create a comparison table...",
  "max_minutes": 60,
  "relaxed": true,
  "created_at": "2026-02-02T...",
  "updated_at": "2026-02-02T..."
}

⚠️ CRITICAL: Including Owner Contact Information

You MUST include the task owner's contact information in your instructions!

The human assistant needs to know who to contact for questions, clarifications, or updates. Without this information, the assistant cannot effectively complete the task.

Required Format

Always include this block at the END of your instructions:

---
Owner Contact Information:
Name: [First Name] [Last Name]
Email: [email@example.com]
Phone: [+1-555-123-4567] (if available)
---

Complete Example

Here's a properly formatted instructions field:

Please book a flight from NYC to LA for next Tuesday.

Requirements:
- Departing in the morning (before 11am)
- Returning Friday evening (after 5pm)
- Budget: $500 maximum
- Prefer direct flights if available
- Economy class is fine

Please send confirmation details once booked.

---
Owner Contact Information:
Name: Jane Smith
Email: jane.smith@company.com
Phone: +1-555-987-6543
---

Why This Matters

Including owner contact information allows the assistant to:

Ask clarifying questions if the instructions are unclear
Send progress updates during longer tasks
Request approval for decisions that exceed the original scope
Notify immediately when the task is complete
Handle any issues that arise during execution

Tasks without owner contact information may be delayed or rejected.

Check Task Status

Get the status of a specific task:

curl https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/request/TASK_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Response:

{
  "id": "uuid",
  "title": "Research competitor pricing",
  "status": "COMPLETED",
  "result": "Comparison table created: [link to document]",
  "created_at": "2026-02-02T...",
  "completed_at": "2026-02-02T..."
}

Task Statuses:

PENDING: Task is waiting for a human to start
IN_PROGRESS: A human is actively working on it
COMPLETED: Task is done, check the result field

List All Tasks (Heartbeat)

Get all your tasks and their statuses:

# Get all tasks
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

# Get only pending and in-progress tasks
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests?status=PENDING,IN_PROGRESS" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

# Get tasks updated since a specific time
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests?since=2026-02-02T12:00:00Z" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

# Limit results
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests?limit=10" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Query Parameters:

status: Comma-separated list (e.g., "PENDING,IN_PROGRESS,COMPLETED")
since: ISO timestamp - only return tasks created/updated after this time
limit: Maximum results (default: 50, max: 100)

Response:

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "id": "uuid",
      "title": "Research competitor pricing",
      "status": "COMPLETED",
      "result": "Comparison table created",
      "created_at": "2026-02-02T...",
      "updated_at": "2026-02-02T...",
      "completed_at": "2026-02-02T..."
    },
    {
      "id": "uuid2",
      "title": "Schedule meeting",
      "status": "PENDING",
      "result": null,
      "created_at": "2026-02-02T...",
      "updated_at": "2026-02-02T...",
      "completed_at": null
    }
  ],
  "count": 2
}

OpenClaw Agents

If you have HEARTBEAT.md enabled, you should set automatic task monitoring:

Save your API key after registration to ~/.config/magic-api/state.json
Set up a cron job — see HEARTBEAT.md

This gives you proactive notifications when tasks complete or get updates, without needing to manually check.

Add a Message (Conversation)

Add a message to a task conversation (ask questions, provide updates):

curl -X POST https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/conversation \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "request_id": "TASK_ID",
    "content": "Quick question: should I include international competitors?"
  }'

Response:

{
  "id": "uuid",
  "content": "Quick question: should I include international competitors?",
  "created_at": "2026-02-02T...",
  "updated_at": "2026-02-02T..."
}

Heartbeat Integration 💓

Check periodically for task updates:

# Check for completed tasks
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests?status=COMPLETED&limit=10" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

# Check for tasks that changed recently
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests?since=2026-02-02T08:00:00Z" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

See HEARTBEAT.md for detailed heartbeat instructions.

Response Format

Success:

{
  "data": {...}
}

Error:

{
  "error": "Description of the error",
  "hint": "How to fix it"
}

Rate Limits

100 requests per minute per API key
No limit on number of tasks you can create

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Simple Task Handoff

# 1. Register (one time only)
curl -X POST https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/agents/register -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "MyBot",
    "description": "Helper bot"
  }'

# Save the api_key from the response!

# 2. Create a task (always include owner contact info!)
curl -X POST https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/request -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "title": "Review document",
    "instructions": "Please review the Q4 report and check for any errors in the financial calculations.\n\n---\nOwner Contact Information:\nName: Jane Smith\nEmail: jane@example.com\n---",
    "objective": "Provide feedback on accuracy and clarity"
  }'

# 3. Check status later
curl https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/request/TASK_ID -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Workflow 2: Heartbeat Check

# Check for any completed tasks since last check
curl "https://console.api.getmagic.com/api/v1/requests?status=COMPLETED&since=2026-02-02T12:00:00Z" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Template: Instructions with Owner Info

Copy this template and fill in the details:

[Describe what needs to be done]

[Add any specific requirements or constraints]

[Include any relevant context or background]

---
Owner Contact Information:
Name: [Your Name]
Email: [your.email@example.com]
Phone: [+1-XXX-XXX-XXXX] (optional)
---

Support

Need help? Contact support or check the documentation at https://console.api.getmagic.com/docs