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Authentication

All Inherent API requests require authentication using an API key.

Creating an API Key​

  1. Log in to the Inherent Dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings > API Keys
  3. Click Create API Key
  4. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Production Backend")
  5. Copy the key immediately - you won't see it again!

Using Your API Key​

Include your API key in the X-API-Key header:

curl -X GET https://api.inherent.sh/v1/documents \
  -H "X-API-Key: ink_your_api_key"

API Key Types​

TypePrefixUse Case
Liveinh_live_Production applications
Testinh_test_Development and testing

Test keys work identically to live keys but are isolated to the sandbox environment.

Security Best Practices​

Do​

  • Store API keys in environment variables
  • Use different keys for different environments
  • Rotate keys periodically
  • Use the minimum required permissions

Don't​

  • Commit API keys to version control
  • Share keys between team members
  • Use production keys in development
  • Log API keys in application logs

Rate Limits​

Rate limits vary by plan:

PlanRequests / minute
Sandbox100
Pro500
Business2,000

When you exceed rate limits, you'll receive a 429 Too Many Requests response:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "rate_limit_exceeded",
    "message": "Rate limit exceeded. Retry after 60 seconds.",
    "retry_after": 60
  }
}

Revoking API Keys​

To revoke a compromised key:

  1. Go to Settings > API Keys
  2. Find the key to revoke
  3. Click the Revoke button
  4. Confirm revocation

Revoked keys immediately stop working. Make sure to update your application with a new key first.