> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.datachecks.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# API Keys

> Create and manage API keys for programmatic access to the Datachecks API.

API keys give you secure, programmatic access to Datachecks. Use them to integrate with CI/CD pipelines, data orchestration workflows, or any external tooling that calls the Datachecks API.

## Create an API key

1. Go to **Settings → Tokens**.
2. Click **Generate New Token**.
3. Enter a descriptive name (e.g. `prod_pipeline_key`).
4. Optionally set an **expiry date** and an **access scope**.
5. Click **Create** and copy the generated key immediately — it will not be shown again.

## Use an API key

Include the key as a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header of every request:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X GET https://YOUR_BASE_URL/sources \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Workspace-Id: YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID"
```

## Manage keys

From **Settings → Tokens** you can:

* **Disable** a key to immediately invalidate it without deleting it
* **Enable** a previously disabled key to reactivate it
* **Delete** a key to permanently revoke access

## Security best practices

* Create separate keys for development, staging, and production environments
* Set expiration dates on keys used for temporary access
* Rotate keys periodically
* Revoke any key that is exposed or no longer needed
* Store keys in a secrets manager (e.g. AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault) rather than in source code