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

# Authorization (Backend)

## Description

The Kana API uses an **API Key to authenticate requests**. Your API Key must be present for all requests made, otherwise your requests will fail.

Your token should start with `prv_` and will end with a random 32-character alphanumeric string - for example: `prv_test_794df9bu824e7d0176e079940e0915le`.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/usekana/Z2Fsz-a5lBmMYI5l/images/admin-api-backend/admin-api-key.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Z2Fsz-a5lBmMYI5l&q=85&s=07c1d645267ad01eaf03918c22387fed" alt="API Key" width="2000" height="1250" data-path="images/admin-api-backend/admin-api-key.png" />

<Note>
  **Where can I get my API Key from?**

  You can fetch this in the [Dashboard > API Keys](https://dashboard.usekana.com/apiKeys) section under the title of *"Admin API Key"*.

  Bear in mind that this is **separate from the Public Client API Key** which is instead [used for the Client SDK](/client-sdk-frontend/authorization-frontend/simple-mode).
</Note>

<Warning>
  **Do not expose this token anywhere publicly**

  Store this somewhere secure and ensure it is not saved or shared in any publicly accessible request or location.
</Warning>

## Using your key

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="cURL">
    Authentication to the API is performed via [Bearer Authentication](https://swagger.io/docs/specification/authentication/bearer-authentication/). Your API Key should be provided through an `Authorization` header (`-H "Authorization: \{API_KEY}"`). We do not require `Bearer` to precede the API Key.

    ```bash theme={null}
    $curl https://api.usekana.com/graphql \
    -X POST \
    -H "Authorization: INSERT_API_KEY" \
    -d '{ "query": "mutation { createFeature(featureIdentifier: \"seats-test\", name: \"Seats Test\") { identifier name } }" }'
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Node.js">
    You'll need to initialize the KanaAdmin client with the API Key passed as an `apiKey` argument. The Node.js library will then automatically send this key in each request.

    ```javascript theme={null}
    import { KanaAdmin } from "@usekana/admin-kana-js";

    const kanaAdmin = new KanaAdmin({
      apiKey: API_KEY, // Replace with own Private API Key
    });
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<br />

<Warning>
  Make sure to replace the API Key with your own when using the above code
  samples.
</Warning>