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API Keys

Authenticate all API requests with your secret API key in the Authorization header as a Bearer token:
Keys are secret credentials. Newly created keys are prefixed by mode — rsk_test_… or rsk_live_…. The demo dataset ships with the fixed test key sk_test_12345 for local exploration.
Never expose API keys in client-side code. Keys are secret and must only be used from your backend.

Test vs. live keys

Every key is either a test key (rsk_test_…) or a live key (rsk_live_…). A new account starts with a test key. A key’s mode must match the server’s payment configuration, reported at GET /version as gateway_mode:
If a key’s mode doesn’t match the server, the request is rejected with 401 key_mode_mismatch. This is deliberate: a test key can never run against a live-money server, and a live key won’t run on a non-live one. Build and test against a none/test instance with a test key — see Testing & Sandbox.

Generate a key

  1. Go to Settings → API Keys in your dashboard
  2. Click Create API Key and choose Test or Live
  3. Copy and store it securely — the full key is shown only once
Or via the API — the mode defaults to test:

Usage

Pass your API key in the Authorization header as a Bearer token:
Mutating requests also accept an Idempotency-Key header so retries never duplicate work — see Idempotency.

Key Scope

API keys are tenant-wide: every key grants the same access to everything in its tenant and mode (rsk_live_ / rsk_test_). There are no per-resource or read-only scopes, so contain blast radius by issuing one key per integration and revoking it on its own.

Security Best Practices

Environment Variables

Store keys in environment variables, not code

Rotate Regularly

Rotate keys periodically and after breaches

Use Test Keys in Dev

Develop with an rsk_test_ key against a none/test server

One Key per Integration

Keys are tenant-wide, so give each service its own key and revoke individually

Revoke a Key

If a key is compromised:
  1. Go to Settings → API Keys
  2. Click Revoke on the compromised key
  3. Generate a new key
  4. Update your applications
Revoking a key is immediate and permanent.