API Keys

API keys provide a secure way for your users to authenticate with your application's backend. They enable programmatic access to your API services, allowing developers to associate requests with specific users or teams. Stack Auth provides prebuilt UI components for the users and teams to manage their own API keys.

Overview

API keys allow your users to access your backend services programmatically.

Stack Auth provides two types of API keys:

User API keys

User API keys are associated with individual users and allow them to authenticate with your API.

const user = await stackApp.getUser();

const apiKey = await user.createApiKey({
  description: "My client application",
  expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + (90 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)), // 90 days
  isPublic: false,
});

Team API keys

Team API keys are associated with teams and can be used to provide access to team resources over your API.

const user = await stackApp.getUser();
const team = await user.getTeam("team-id-here");

const teamApiKey = await team.createApiKey({
  description: "Team integration service",
  expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + (60 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)), // 60 days
  isPublic: false,
});

Setting Up API Keys in Stack Auth

To use API keys in your application, you need to enable them in your project settings. Navigate to the Stack Auth dashboard, select your project, and enable User API Keys and/or Team API Keys in the project settings.

Working with API Keys

Creating User API Keys

const apiKey = await user.createApiKey({
  description: "Development environment key",
  expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + (90 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)), // 90 days from now
  isPublic: false,
});

Creating Team API Keys

const team = await user.getTeam("team-id-here");

const teamApiKey = await team.createApiKey({
  description: "Team service integration",
  expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + (60 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)), // 60 days
  isPublic: false,
});

Listing API Keys

// List user's API keys
const userApiKeys = await user.listApiKeys();

// List a team's API keys
const team = await user.getTeam("team-id-here");
const teamApiKeys = await team.listApiKeys();

// Using hooks in React components
const apiKeys = user.useApiKeys();
const teamApiKeys = team.useApiKeys();

Revoking API Keys

API keys can be revoked when they are no longer needed or if they have been compromised.

const apiKeys = await user.listApiKeys();
const apiKeyToRevoke = apiKeys.find(key => key.id === "api-key-id-here");

if (apiKeyToRevoke) {
  await apiKeyToRevoke.revoke();
}

Checking API Key Validity

You can check if an API key is still valid:

const apiKeys = await user.listApiKeys();
const apiKey = apiKeys.find(key => key.id === "api-key-id-here");

if (apiKey && apiKey.isValid()) {
  // API key is valid
} else {
  // API key is invalid (expired or revoked)
  const reason = apiKey ? apiKey.whyInvalid() : "not found";
  console.log(`API key is invalid: ${reason}`);
}