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

# Authentication

> Create a key, send it, and keep it safe.

An API key is a secret that identifies you. It is personal. It reaches the projects you can already open in the dashboard, and nothing more. Every key starts with `rk_live_`.

## Create a key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the keys page">
    <a className="rk-button rk-button--secondary" href="https://radarkit.ai/settings/api/keys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Open API keys</a>

    Click Create an API key.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the four fields">
    | Field       | What it does                                                                   |
    | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
    | Name        | A label for you. Use the name of the tool or script that will use the key.     |
    | Expires     | 30 days, 90 days, 365 days or never. Pick a short life for anything temporary. |
    | Permissions | Read, Write, Agents. Give a key the least it needs.                            |
    | Projects    | All the projects you can see, or a specific list.                              |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the key">
    It is shown once. If you lose it, revoke it and create a new one.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Send it

Put the key in the `Authorization` header of every request:

```text theme={"system"}
Authorization: Bearer rk_live_YOUR_KEY
```

## Permissions

| Permission | What it allows                                               |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Read       | Every `GET`. Export estimates.                               |
| Write      | Add topics and prompts, run a prompt now, create exports.    |
| Agents     | Create, check and retry articles. Spends AI content credits. |

A call that needs a permission the key does not have gets `403 SCOPE_MISSING`. Permissions can only narrow what your seat on the project allows, never widen it.

## Connected apps

MCP clients such as ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor and Codex do not use a pasted key. You sign in to Radarkit from the app and click Allow. That creates a key for the app, named after it, with the permissions you ticked. It appears on the keys page as a connected app and works exactly like any other key. Click Disconnect there to end the connection. See [MCP setup](/docs/mcp/setup).

## Who can create keys

* Project owners and admins on an active paid plan.
* Editors cannot create keys.
* Free accounts cannot create keys.

Every call on a project is charged to that project's owner, whichever team member's key made it. The ledger in [Settings, API usage](https://radarkit.ai/settings/api/usage) records who made each call.

<Warning>
  Send the key only in the `Authorization` header. A key in the URL is refused with `400 KEY_IN_QUERY`. Never put a key in browser code or a public repository. If a key leaks, revoke it on the keys page. Revoking is instant and cannot be undone.
</Warning>