---
title: "What to use when"
description: "Decision guide for choosing and combining Sugra API product directions."
slug: series-conclusion
status: published
published_at: 2026-07-21
author: Arman Obosyan
author_url: https://sugra.systems/about
section: close
series_order: 12
primary_keyword: sugra api which direction
hero_image: /blog/images/posts/series-conclusion-hero.jpg
hero_alt: "What to use when - Sugra API blog"
og_image: /blog/images/posts/series-conclusion-hero.jpg
tags:
  - series
  - guide
  - api
---

# Conclusion: choosing and combining Sugra directions

**Series:** close  
**Prerequisites:** [Platform intro](/blog/platform-intro) and any direction articles you need  
**Auth reminder:** one `x-api-key`, volume-only plan gates  

This article closes the series. It is a **decision guide**, not a new API surface.

---

## What you should take away

1. **One product, seven directions** - same host, same key, same general envelope (with NetAtlas `_meta` as the main shape exception).  
2. **Each direction is deep enough alone** - articles 1-7 are full maps with use cases, not blurbs.  
3. **Composition is client-side** - articles 8-11 show call sequences and failure handling; Sugra does not hide a blackbox multi-domain score.  
4. **Provenance is the product feature** - `meta.source`, `meta.data_time`, Entity disclaimers, Earth attribution, NetAtlas atlas build time.  
5. **Limits are volume** - budget calls; batch carefully; handle 429 and 503.

---

## Decision guide: which direction first?

| If your question is... | Start with |
|---|---|
| Price, indicators, 13F, crypto/FX board | [Finance](/blog/sugra-finance) |
| CPI, policy rates, official GDP, curve | [Macro](/blog/sugra-macro) |
| Sanctions / KYB / wallet screen | [Entity](/blog/sugra-entity) |
| IP / ASN / RPKI / Tor / CT | [NetAtlas](/blog/sugra-netatlas) |
| Headlines, media volume/tone, attention | [News](/blog/sugra-news) |
| Weather, hazards, grid, METAR | [Earth](/blog/sugra-earth) |
| Papers, DOI, long-run GDP, NBER | [Research](/blog/sugra-research) |
| Auth, envelope, quotas | [Platform intro](/blog/platform-intro) |

---

## When to compose

| Need | Composition article |
|---|---|
| Official regime + market print | [08 Macro + Finance](/blog/compose-macro-finance) |
| Screen + media context | [09 Entity + News](/blog/compose-entity-news) |
| Ops weather + hazards + grid (+ METAR) | [10 Earth ops](/blog/compose-earth-ops) |
| Name event pack: market + media + macro backdrop | [11 Event stack](/blog/compose-event-stack) |

Rules of thumb:

- Prefer **one direction** until you need a second answer type.  
- Cache slow legs (Macro releases, Entity list freshness checks).  
- Never invent a combined "score" without publishing the formula and disclaimers.  
- Entity + anything else still ends with **signal, not determination**.  
- Finance + anything else still ends with **not investment advice**.

---

## Full series map

### Foundation and overviews

0. [Platform intro](/blog/platform-intro)  
1. [Finance](/blog/sugra-finance)  
2. [Macro](/blog/sugra-macro)  
3. [Entity](/blog/sugra-entity)  
4. [NetAtlas](/blog/sugra-netatlas)  
5. [News](/blog/sugra-news)  
6. [Earth](/blog/sugra-earth)  
7. [Research](/blog/sugra-research)  

### Compositions

8. [Macro + Finance](/blog/compose-macro-finance)  
9. [Entity + News](/blog/compose-entity-news)  
10. [Earth ops](/blog/compose-earth-ops)  
11. [Event stack](/blog/compose-event-stack)  

### Close

12. **This conclusion**

---

## Integration checklist

- [ ] Key only in env / secret store  
- [ ] Read `X-RateLimit-*` on a probe call  
- [ ] Parse `data` + `meta` (and NetAtlas `_meta`)  
- [ ] Show `meta.source` / data_time in UI or agent citations  
- [ ] Entity disclaimer visible when screening  
- [ ] Finance / market-adjacent copy: not investment advice  
- [ ] 429 and 503 handlers with backoff / last-good cache  
- [ ] Live path checks (13F `/{cik}/holdings`, forex `/latest`, METAR `/api/v2/transport/aviation/metar`)  

---

## Where to build next

| Resource | URL / location |
|---|---|
| Get a key | https://app.sugra.ai |
| Family overview | https://sugra.systems/api/family |
| Runnable recipes | https://github.com/Sugra-Systems/sugra-api-cookbook |
| Hosted MCP (agent UI users) | https://app.sugra.ai/mcp |
| This series folder | [README](/blog) |

---

## Read next

- Back to the start: [Platform intro](/blog/platform-intro)  
- Jump to a direction you skipped  
- Open the cookbook and run `01_quickstart.py` with your key  

Thank you for reading the series end to end - or for using the TOC to take only what you need. The API is one key; the articles stay modular on purpose.