What is API Key? - Higress Technical Glossary

📖 Definition

API Key is a simple API authentication method where clients carry pre-assigned keys in requests to prove identity. It is simple to implement but has lower security, suitable for internal services or low-risk scenarios.

🔗 How Higress Uses This

Higress supports API Key authentication, can manage keys for multiple consumers, and implements rate limiting, statistics, and other functions based on keys.

💡 Examples

1 API Key is usually placed in headers or query parameters
2 Different consumers are assigned different API Keys
3 API Key can set expiration time and permission scope

⚙️ Configuration Example

YAML

# Higress API Key Authentication Configuration
plugins:
  - name: key-auth
    config:
      consumers:
        - name: user-a
          key: "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
        - name: user-b
          key: "sk-yyyyyyyyyyyy"

🔄 Related Terms

JSON Web Token

OAuth 2.0

Rate Limiting

❓ FAQ

What is API Key?