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

# Authentication

> Learn how to authenticate your API requests

## API Key Authentication

The Moorcheh API uses API key authentication. You must include your API key in the request headers to access any endpoint.

## Getting Your API Key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign Up">
    Create a Moorcheh account at [console.moorcheh.ai](https://console.moorcheh.ai)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to API Keys">
    Go to the API Keys section in your console
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate Key">
    Generate a new API key or copy an existing one
  </Step>

  <Step title="Store Securely">
    Keep your API key secure and never share it publicly
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the `x-api-key` header with every request:

<CodeGroup>
  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from moorcheh_sdk import MoorchehClient

  client = MoorchehClient(
      api_key="your-api-key-here",
      base_url="https://api.moorcheh.ai/v1"
  )
  ```

  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X GET "https://api.moorcheh.ai/v1/namespaces" \
    -H "x-api-key: your-api-key-here" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json"
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
  const headers = {
    'x-api-key': 'your-api-key-here',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  };

  fetch('https://api.moorcheh.ai/v1/namespaces', {
    method: 'GET',
    headers: headers
  });
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Security Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Store API keys securely">
    * Use environment variables instead of hardcoding
    * Never commit API keys to version control
    * Use secret management services in production

    ```bash theme={null}
    # Good: Use environment variables
    export MOORCHEH_API_KEY="your-api-key"
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Rotate keys regularly">
    * Generate new API keys periodically
    * Revoke old keys after rotation
    * Monitor key usage in your console
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use different keys per environment">
    * Separate keys for development, staging, and production
    * Easier to track usage and debug issues
    * Limit blast radius if a key is compromised
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Revoke compromised keys immediately">
    * If a key is exposed, revoke it in the console
    * Generate a new key and update your applications
    * Monitor for unauthorized usage
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Authentication Errors

### 401 Unauthorized

**Error Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "message": "Unauthorized: Invalid API key"
}
```

**Common Causes:**

* Invalid or expired API key
* Missing `x-api-key` header
* Incorrect header name (case-sensitive)
* API key has been revoked

**Solution:**

* Verify your API key is correct
* Ensure you're using `x-api-key` (all lowercase)
* Check that the key hasn't been disabled in the console

### 403 Forbidden

**Error Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "message": "Forbidden: Insufficient permissions"
}
```

**Common Causes:**

* API key doesn't have required permissions
* Account limits exceeded

**Solution:**

* Check your account tier and limits
* Contact support if you need increased limits

## Environment Variables

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    import os
    from moorcheh_sdk import MoorchehClient

    # Load from environment variable
    api_key = os.getenv('MOORCHEH_API_KEY')

    client = MoorchehClient(api_key=api_key)
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Node.js">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    // Load from environment variable
    const apiKey = process.env.MOORCHEH_API_KEY;

    const headers = {
      'x-api-key': apiKey,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    };
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title=".env File">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # .env file
    MOORCHEH_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

    # Don't forget to add .env to .gitignore!
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Make your first API request
  </Card>

  <Card title="Namespaces" icon="folder" href="/guides/namespaces">
    Learn about organizing your data
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Explore all API endpoints
  </Card>

  <Card title="Support" icon="headset" href="mailto:support@moorcheh.ai">
    Get help from our team
  </Card>
</CardGroup>