API key
An API key is the secret credential that identifies an account to an API, sent as a bearer token on every request.
In detail
Keys here are stored as hashes, carry fixed scopes, can be pinned to an IP range and can be given an expiry. A request is refused if the key is revoked, expired, missing the scope for that endpoint, or calling from an address outside its allowlist — four distinct failures with four distinct errors, so the cause is never a guess. Give an automated agent its own narrow key instead of sharing the one your dashboard uses.
Also known as
- bearer token
- access key
- secret key