> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.orchard.airoverflow.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.orchard.airoverflow.com/api/authentication.md).

# Authentication

## API keys (programmatic)

Mint a key in the console under **Access > API keys**. It is shown once; store it as `ORCHARD_API_KEY`. Send it on every request:

```
Authorization: Bearer orc_...
```

A key is bound to the organization it was created in and cannot act in another. A key may be scoped to a subset of features; a call outside that scope returns `403` naming the missing feature.

## JWT (username and password)

The console signs in with a JSON Web Token pair.

### `POST /auth/token`

```bash
curl -X POST https://orchard.example.com/api/auth/token \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"username": "alice", "password": "..."}'
```

```json
{ "access": "<jwt>", "refresh": "<jwt>" }
```

Send the access token as `Authorization: Bearer <access>`. It is short-lived.

### `POST /auth/token/refresh`

```json
{ "refresh": "<jwt>" }   ->   { "access": "<jwt>" }
```

### `POST /auth/token/verify`

Returns `200` if the token is still valid, `401` otherwise.

## Which to use

* Scripts, CI, the SDKs and the CLI: an **API key**. It never expires on its own and needs no refresh dance.
* A browser session: the **JWT** pair, refreshed transparently.


---

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