Quick summary
- Term
- API Key
- Plain-English definition
- An API key is a credential used by software to authenticate requests to an API.
- Technical definition
- An API key is a credential used by software to authenticate requests to an API.
- Commonly confused with
- Related domain, DNS, registrar, API, or agent-infrastructure terms.
- Related terms
- Client Secret, OAuth, Token, IP Allowlist
Definition
An API key is a credential used by software to authenticate requests to an API.
Why it matters
API keys should be protected because they may allow domain, DNS, billing, or account actions.