Creating and managing API keys

The Platform console is the developer screen for calling Parallax directly from your code. Sign in with your Parallax account.

Creating a key

1. Open the API keys screen in the console.
2. Create a new key and give it a name that says what it is for.
3. Copy the key shown right after creation and keep it somewhere safe.

The full key value is shown only once, at creation. Close the screen and you cannot see it again, and the list only shows enough of it to tell keys apart.

Using keys safely

• Keep keys in server environment variables. Putting one in browser code or a mobile app exposes it directly.
• Do not commit keys to a repository. Keys pushed to a public repository are harvested immediately.
• Separate keys by purpose and environment, so revoking one does not affect the rest.
• When someone leaves the team or a deployment environment changes, issue new keys and revoke the old ones.

If a key is lost or exposed

A lost key cannot be recovered. Revoke it in the console, create a new one and swap it in.

If you suspect exposure, revoke first, switch to a new key, then check the usage screen for calls you do not recognise. If there is usage you cannot account for, tell us in a support request and we will look into it with you.

When calls are rejected

• Authentication errors: the key has been revoked, or it is being passed incorrectly in the header. Check for stray whitespace around it too.
• Insufficient balance: API use runs on a prepaid balance. See API usage and topping up.
• Rate limits: calls bunched into a short window can be throttled. Space out your retries.