# Getting Started

Stream's Moderation API lets you integrate content moderation into any application. This guide walks you through installing one of the [backend SDKs](https://getstream.io/docs/platform/backend-sdks/), configuration, and your first moderation check.

Moderation lives in the [Stream Dashboard](https://getstream.io/signin/?product=moderation), where you can create and tune policies, manage AI rules and blocklists, and review flagged content across your app.

## Start here

- [Policies](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/configuration/policies/): Choose which engines run and what happens when content matches.
- [Stream Chat integration](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/integrations/stream-chat/): Moderate chat messages with no code changes.
- [Stream Feeds integration](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/integrations/stream-feeds/): Automatically moderate activities and comments as they are created or updated.

## Stream CLI and Agent Skills

Manage moderation from your terminal with the [Stream CLI](https://getstream.io/cli/docs/), including scripting policy setup and AI-agent workflows. Install the CLI and the default [Agent Skills](https://getstream.io/agent-skills/docs/):

```bash
curl -fsSL https://getstream.io/cli.sh | bash
getstream skills
```

Then ask your agent in plain English, for example:

```text
/stream Show flagged content in the review queue.
```

See the [CLI docs](https://getstream.io/cli/docs/) and [Agent Skills docs](https://getstream.io/agent-skills/docs/) for more.

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stream-io/stream-node
# or
yarn add @stream-io/stream-node
```

## Initialize the client

```js
const { StreamClient } = require("@stream-io/stream-node");

const client = new StreamClient("YOUR_API_KEY", "YOUR_API_SECRET");
```

## Create a moderation policy

Before checking content, create a moderation configuration that defines which rules to apply:

```js
await client.moderation.upsertConfig({
  key: "my_config",
  ai_text_config: {
    rules: [
      { label: "SPAM", action: "flag" },
      { label: "HARASSMENT", action: "remove" },
    ],
  },
  block_list_config: {
    rules: [{ name: "profanity_en", action: "remove" }],
  },
});
```

> For Stream Chat, use config key `chat:messaging`. For Stream Feeds, use `feeds`. See [Configuration](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/configuration/policies/) for details.

## Check content

```js
const response = await client.moderation.check({
  entity_type: "stream:chat:v1:message",
  entity_id: "message-123",
  entity_creator_id: "user-456",
  moderation_payload: {
    texts: ["Hello, this is a test message"],
  },
  config_key: "my_config",
});

console.log(response.recommended_action); // "keep", "flag", or "remove"
```

## Handle the response

The response includes:

- `recommended_action` -- `"keep"`, `"flag"`, or `"remove"`
- `status` -- `"complete"` or `"partial"` (if async checks are still running)
- `item` -- the review queue item (if content was flagged or removed)

The check returns a recommendation for your code to enforce. Stream adds flagged and removed content to the review queue:

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  content[User content] --> check[Moderation check]
  check --> rec{recommended_action}
  rec -->|keep| keep[Your app keeps it]
  rec -->|flag| queue[Review queue]
  rec -->|remove| removed[Your app removes it]
  removed -.->|for audit and appeals| queue
```

```js
if (response.recommended_action === "keep") {
  // Content is safe, no action needed
} else if (response.recommended_action === "flag") {
  // Content is suspicious; Stream has queued it for review
  console.log("Flagged for review:", response.item);
} else if (response.recommended_action === "remove") {
  // Content violates policies, remove it
  console.log("Content removed:", response.item);
}
```

## What's next

- [Review queue](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/content-moderation/review-queue/): Query and act on flagged content.
- [Webhooks](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/content-moderation/webhooks/): Get review queue events delivered to your backend.
- [Client configuration](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/guides/client-configuration/): HTTP defaults, timeouts, and connection pooling.

## FAQ

**Which engines can check content?**

LLM and NLP text engines, plus image, video and audio moderation. Start with the [LLM text engine](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/engines/ai-llm-text/).

**Do messages sent from my server get moderated?**

Content sent to the Check API is always moderated. Chat messages sent from the server skip moderation by default; set `force_moderation` to `true` to include them. The flag is server-side only and ignored when sent from a client-side SDK. See [chat moderation](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/integrations/stream-chat/#server-side-integration).

**Can tenants manage their own moderation?**

Yes, for chat. Tenants manage their own policies, with client-side access restricted to their team, and team blocklists need a feature flag from support. See [multitenancy](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/configuration/multitenancy/).

**Can I build my own review dashboard?**

Yes, on the same APIs Stream's dashboard uses. The [dashboard guide](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/guides/build-moderation-dashboard/) walks through it.

---

For the most recent version of this documentation, visit [https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/](https://getstream.io/moderation/docs/node/).