What is the first step involved in using the Bulk API?

The first step involved in using the Bulk API is to log into Salesforce. This is crucial because a successful login establishes the necessary authentication to access the Salesforce environment and utilize its resources, including the Bulk API. Once logged in, a client can initiate further actions such as creating a job to process large volumes of data, but without logging in first, those subsequent steps cannot be executed.

In the context of using the Bulk API, logging into Salesforce ensures that the application making the request has the appropriate credentials and permissions to interact with Salesforce data. This foundational step sets the stage for the workflow that follows, such as creating a job, uploading data batches, and ultimately closing the job at the end of the data processing cycle.