Authentication

All Knowhere API requests require authentication using an API key.

Getting Your API Key

1. Sign in to the Knowhere Dashboard
2. Navigate to API Keys section
3. Click Create New Key
4. Copy and securely store your key

caution

Your API key grants full access to your account. Keep it secure and never share it publicly or commit it to version control.

Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the Authorization header of every request:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Example Request

cURL

curl https://api.knowhereto.ai/v1/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_abc123..."

Python

import requests
import os

api_key = os.environ.get("KNOWHERE_API_KEY")

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.knowhereto.ai/v1/jobs",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}"}
)

Node.js

const apiKey = process.env.KNOWHERE_API_KEY;

const response = await fetch('https://api.knowhereto.ai/v1/jobs', {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`
  }
});

API Key Format

Knowhere API keys follow this format:

Prefix	Environment	Example
sk_live_	Production	sk_live_abc123def456...
sk_test_	Testing/Sandbox	sk_test_xyz789ghi012...

Authentication Errors

If authentication fails, you'll receive a 401 Unauthorized response:

{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "UNAUTHENTICATED",
    "message": "Invalid or missing API key",
    "request_id": "req_abc123"
  }
}

Common Causes

Issue	Solution
Missing Authorization header	Add the header to your request
Invalid key format	Ensure key starts with sk_live_ or sk_test_
Expired or revoked key	Generate a new key in the dashboard
Incorrect Bearer prefix	Use Bearer YOUR_KEY, not just the key

Best Practices

1. Use Environment Variables

Never hardcode API keys in your source code:

# Set in your environment
export KNOWHERE_API_KEY="sk_live_abc123..."

Python

import os
api_key = os.environ.get("KNOWHERE_API_KEY")

Node.js

const apiKey = process.env.KNOWHERE_API_KEY;

2. Use Different Keys for Different Environments

• Use sk_test_ keys for development and testing
• Use sk_live_ keys only in production

3. Rotate Keys Regularly

• Generate new keys periodically
• Revoke old keys after rotation
• Update all services using the old key

4. Monitor Key Usage

• Check the dashboard for unusual activity
• Set up alerts for high usage patterns
• Review access logs regularly

Revoking Keys

To revoke a compromised or unused API key:

1. Go to Dashboard > API Keys
2. Find the key you want to revoke
3. Click Revoke
4. Confirm the action

warning

Revoking a key is immediate and permanent. All requests using that key will fail instantly.

Rate Limits

API keys are subject to rate limiting. See Billing & Limits for details.