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

# Authentication

The Watermelon API uses API keys for authentication. Create, manage, and learn more about API keys in your [API key settings](https://app.watermelon.ai/settings/api_key).

**Remember that your API key is a secret!** Do not share it with others or expose it in any client-side code (browsers, apps). API keys should be securely loaded from an environment variable or key management service on the server.

API keys should be provided via [HTTP Bearer authentication](https://swagger.io/docs/specification/v3_0/authentication/bearer-authentication/).

```
Authorization: Bearer "api_key" + "." + "secret_key"
```