Get started with ESM models

Introduction

This quickstart shows you how to set up the ESM models by installing the esm Python package. After you set up the esm package, you can choose from ESMC, ESMFold2, the ESMC sparse autoencoders (SAEs), or ESM3 to begin fine-tuning or working with the model.

Quickstart guide

ESMC
ESMFold2
ESM3

Install the esm Python package

pip install esm

Import the necessary libraries

from esm.sdk.forge import ESMCForgeInferenceClient
from esm.sdk import client
from esm.sdk.api import ESMProtein, ESMProteinError, LogitsConfig, LogitsOutput

Create an API key

Generate an API key and add it to your Biohub account. This API key manages your access to credits and tokens. The documentation uses the terms API key and API token interchangeably.

Connect to the Biohub API

Call the ESM client with the model you want to use and replace <your API token> with your token name.

client = ESMCForgeInferenceClient(model="esmc-6b-2024-12", url="https://biohub.ai", token="<your API token>")

Run your inference

You can now use your model. For examples of specific use cases or to append an SAE to your ESMC model, see the Tutorials. To embed a sequence collection, use Embed multiple sequences with ESMC.

Install the esm Python package

pip install esm

Import the necessary libraries

from esm.sdk.forge import SequenceStructureForgeInferenceClient
from esm.sdk import client
from esm.sdk.api import ESMProtein, ESMProteinError, LogitsConfig, LogitsOutput

Create an API key

Generate an API key and add it to your Biohub account. This API key manages your access to credits and tokens. The documentation uses the terms API key and API token interchangeably.

Connect to the Biohub API

Call the ESM client with the model you want to use and replace <your API token> with your token name.

client = SequenceStructureForgeInferenceClient(model="esmfold2-fast-2026-05", url="https://biohub.ai", token="<your API token>")

Run your inference

You can now use your model. For examples of specific use cases, see the Tutorials.

Install the esm Python package

pip install esm

Import the necessary libraries

from esm.sdk.forge import ESM3ForgeInferenceClient
from esm.sdk import client
from esm.sdk.api import ESMProtein, ESMProteinError, LogitsConfig, LogitsOutput

Create an API key

Generate an API key and add it to your Biohub account. This API key manages your access to credits and tokens. The documentation uses the terms API key and API token interchangeably.

Connect to the Biohub API

Call the ESM client and replace <your API token> with your token name.

client = ESM3ForgeInferenceClient(model="esm3-open-2024-03", url="https://biohub.ai", token="<your API token>")

Run your inference

You can now use your model. For examples of generating novel proteins with ESM3, see the Tutorials.

Use Biohub from an AI assistant

Connect Claude, Codex, ChatGPT, or Cursor to Biohub MCP at https://biohub.ai/mcp to search the ESM Atlas and view protein structures in chat. You sign in once in your browser with a free Biohub account, and you don’t need an API key.

Biohub MCP quickstart

Add the server to your AI client and run your first ESM Atlas search.

Learn

Tutorials

Guides

Get started with ESM models

Introduction

Quickstart guide

Use Biohub from an AI assistant

Biohub MCP quickstart