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

# Authenticate with the OrbiSearch API

> OrbiSearch authenticates requests with API keys. Pass your key in the X-API-Key header on every request. Learn how to get a key and handle auth errors.

OrbiSearch authenticates every request using an API key that you pass in the `X-API-Key` HTTP header. There are no OAuth flows or session tokens — just include your key on every request.

## Get your API key

1. Sign in to your OrbiSearch account.
2. Go to [Dashboard → API](https://orbisearch.com/dashboard/api-keys).
3. Create a new key and copy it immediately — it will not be shown again.

<Warning>
  Keep your API key secret. Do not include it in client-side code, public repositories, or anywhere that could expose it to unauthorized users. If a key is compromised, revoke it from the dashboard and create a new one.
</Warning>

## Pass your key in requests

Include your API key in the `X-API-Key` header on every request:

```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.orbisearch.com/v1/verify?email=jane.doe@acme.com" \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your actual key.

## Authentication errors

If your key is missing or invalid, the API returns a `401 Unauthorized` response:

```json theme={null}
{
  "detail": "API key required in X-API-Key header"
}
```

Check that:

* The `X-API-Key` header is present on every request
* The key value is correct and has not been revoked
* There are no leading or trailing spaces in the key value

## Rate limits

Each API key is rate-limited to **20 requests per second**. If you exceed this limit, the API returns a `429 Too Many Requests` response. Contact OrbiSearch if you need higher throughput.

Every authenticated response includes `X-RateLimit-Limit`, `X-RateLimit-Remaining` and `X-RateLimit-Reset` headers describing your current per-key window, so clients can self-throttle instead of hitting `429`s. See [errors](/docs/api-reference/errors#429-too-many-requests) for how to handle rate-limit responses.