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

# Authentication

> How to authenticate your API requests

All API requests require authentication using a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header.

## Getting Your API Key

Visit the [Gateway Console](https://gateway.iotex.ai/console/token) to generate your API key. Keys are in the format `sk-xxxxxxxxxx`.

## Using Your API Key

Include the `Authorization` header in every request:

```http theme={null}
Authorization: Bearer sk-your-api-key-here
```

### Example with cURL

```bash theme={null}
curl https://gateway.iotex.ai/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-your-api-key-here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "gemini-2.5-flash", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'
```

### Example with OpenAI SDK

```python theme={null}
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="sk-your-api-key-here",
    base_url="https://gateway.iotex.ai/v1"
)
```

## Security Best Practices

<Warning>
  Never expose your API key in client-side code (browser JavaScript, mobile apps, etc.). Always route requests through a backend server.
</Warning>

* **Use environment variables** to store your API key — never hardcode it in source files
* **Rotate your key** regularly through the [Gateway Console](https://gateway.iotex.ai/console/token)
* **Use separate keys** for different environments (development, staging, production)
* **Monitor usage** in the console to detect any unauthorized access