Authentication
Authenticate your requests.
Securely connect to the ContextStream API with API keys passed as bearer tokens. Same keys power MCP, REST, and SDK access.
Step 1
Obtaining your API key
01
Sign up or log in to your account.
02
Navigate to your dashboard and click on “API Keys”.
03
Click “Create New Key” and give it a descriptive name.
04
Copy your API key immediately — it won't be shown again.
Step 2
Using your API key
Include your API key in the Authorization header as a bearer token.
Authorization: Bearer cs_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAlternatively, you can use the X-API-Key header.
X-API-Key: cs_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxKey types
Live keys vs test keys.
cs_live_*
Live keys
Production keys with full access to your workspaces and data. Use these in your production applications and MCP integrations.
cs_test_*
Test keys
Development keys that operate in a sandboxed environment. Data created with test keys is isolated and can be safely deleted.
Security
Security best practices
Keep your keys secure
Never expose API keys in client-side code, public repositories, or logs.
Store API keys in environment variables or secret managers
Use different keys for development and production
Rotate keys periodically and after any suspected compromise
Set up key restrictions by IP or domain when possible
Never commit API keys to version control
Never include keys in client-side JavaScript
Errors
Authentication errors
The API key is missing or invalid. Check that you're including the header correctly.
The API key doesn't have permission for this action. Check your key's scope and workspace access.
Next steps