> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sourcebot-whoisthey-language-model-input-modalities.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authentication

To securely access and interact with Sourcebot’s API, authentication is required. Users must generate an API Key, which will be used to authenticate requests.

<Note>
  If [anonymous access](/docs/configuration/auth/access-settings#anonymous-access) is enabled, some endpoints will be accessible without a API key.
</Note>

## Creating an API key

Navigate to **Settings → API Keys** and click **Create API Key**. Copy the value - it is only shown once.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/sourcebot-whoisthey-language-model-input-modalities/UI3at4lP3VZBMCMb/images/mcp_api_key_settings.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UI3at4lP3VZBMCMb&q=85&s=e72347258c4ed817717424a1a6de1a06" alt="API Keys page in Sourcebot Settings" width="2366" height="1122" data-path="images/mcp_api_key_settings.png" />
</Frame>

## Using an API key

Pass your API key as a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header on every request.

```bash theme={null}
Authorization: Bearer <your-api-key>
```

For example, to call the `/api/search` endpoint:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://your-sourcebot-instance.com/api/search \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <your-api-key>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"query": "hello world", "matches": 10}'
```