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

# API authentication

> Create, store, use, and revoke a NeuDocs REST API key.

The NeuDocs REST API uses firm-scoped bearer keys.

## Create a key

An owner or admin opens **Settings → API keys**, enters a descriptive name, and creates the key. NeuDocs displays the raw key exactly once.

<Warning>
  Copy the key immediately into a secrets manager. NeuDocs stores only its SHA-256 hash and cannot recover the raw value.
</Warning>

Keys begin with `nd_live_`. Send the key in the Authorization header:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://neudocs.app/api/v1/clients \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NEUDOCS_API_KEY"
```

## Responses

* Missing, malformed, unknown, or revoked credentials return `401 Unauthorized`.
* Request validation errors return `400`.
* Plan/entitlement failures while creating a request return `402`.
* Successful JSON responses wrap results in a `data` property.

## Scope and rotation

A key acts for its firm and currently has no per-endpoint scopes. Create separate named keys for separate systems, never embed them in browser code, and revoke unused or exposed keys immediately.


## Related topics

- [index](/index.md)
- [Security and privacy](/verification/security-privacy.md)
- [Clients API](/integrations/api-clients.md)
- [Requests API](/integrations/api-requests.md)
- [Integrations overview](/integrations/overview.md)