An API key is a unique identifier used to authenticate a calling application or service to an API — a simple credential that grants programmatic access without a username and password.
⚙️ How Does It Work?
The API key is included in the HTTP request header or query string. The API server validates the key against its records and applies the associated permissions. Unlike OAuth tokens, API keys are typically static and long-lived.
📍 Where Is It Used?
SaaS integrations, third-party API consumption, IoT devices, CI/CD pipelines, any machine-to-machine communication.
💡 Real-World Example
A marketing team's analytics tool uses a static API key to pull data from the company's CRM every night. The key was created 3 years ago, never rotated, and has admin scope. A secrets management audit flags it as high risk — it should be scoped to read-only and rotated monthly.
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