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

# How to get API key

> Create, use, and manage your Polyvia API key

Every request to the Polyvia API is authenticated with an API key. Here's how to
create one, use it, and keep it scoped correctly.

## Create a key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in to Polyvia Platform">
    Open the **Polyvia Platform** and sign up or log in.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the API page">
    Click **API** in the sidebar, then **Create API Key**, give it a name, and optionally set
    an expiry date.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy it once">
    The key is shown **only once** — copy it now and store it somewhere safe. All
    keys start with `poly_`.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Keep your API key secret. Never commit it to a repo or expose it in client-side
  code. If a key leaks, revoke it on the **API** page and mint a new one.
</Warning>

## Use the key

Pass the key when you create a client:

<CodeGroup>
  ```python Python theme={null}
  from polyvia import Polyvia

  client = Polyvia(api_key="poly_<key>")
  ```

  ```ts TypeScript theme={null}
  import { Polyvia } from "polyvia";

  const client = new Polyvia({ apiKey: "poly_<key>" });
  ```

  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl https://app.polyvia.ai/api/v1/usage \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer poly_<key>"
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Tip>
  Prefer not to hard-code it? Both SDKs also read the key from the
  `POLYVIA_API_KEY` environment variable — `export POLYVIA_API_KEY=poly_<key>` and
  you can drop the `api_key` / `apiKey` argument.
</Tip>

## Workspace scoping

Each key is bound to **one workspace** at the moment you create it — your personal
workspace or a specific organization — and only ever reads and writes that
workspace's data.

* Mint a key in your **personal workspace** → it sees your personal documents,
  groups, and chats only.
* Mint a key in an **organization** → it sees that org's shared documents and
  groups; any teammate's key minted in the same org reads the same data.

To work across workspaces, switch workspace and create a
separate key for each.

<Note>
  Switching your *active* workspace in the UI later does not change what an
  existing key can access — the binding is permanent. Revoke and re-mint to
  change scope.
</Note>

## Manage & revoke

Return to the **API** page any time to see your keys, their names and expiry,
and to delete (revoke) a key. Revocation takes effect immediately.

<Card title="Start building" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart" horizontal>
  Have your key? Ingest your first batch and query it in a couple of minutes.
</Card>