API Key Authentication

API key authentication using query parameters, headers, or cookies

APIKeyQuery

API key authentication using a query parameter.

This defines the name of the query parameter that should be provided in the request with the API key and integrates that into the OpenAPI documentation. It extracts the key value sent in the query parameter automatically and provides it as the dependency result. But it doesn’t define how to send that API key to the client.

Parameters

name · str · required

Query parameter name.

scheme_name · str | None · default: "None"

Security scheme name. It will be included in the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at /docs).

description · str | None · default: "None"

Security scheme description. It will be included in the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at /docs).

auto_error · bool · default: "True"

By default, if the query parameter is not provided, APIKeyQuery will automatically cancel the request and send the client an error.

If auto_error is set to False, when the query parameter is not available, instead of erroring out, the dependency result will be None.

This is useful when you want to have optional authentication or when you want to have authentication that can be provided in one of multiple optional ways (for example, in a query parameter or in an HTTP Bearer token).

Example

from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI
from fastapi.security import APIKeyQuery

app = FastAPI()

query_scheme = APIKeyQuery(name="api_key")

@app.get("/items/")
async def read_items(api_key: str = Depends(query_scheme)):
    return {"api_key": api_key}

---

APIKeyHeader

API key authentication using a header.

This defines the name of the header that should be provided in the request with the API key and integrates that into the OpenAPI documentation. It extracts the key value sent in the header automatically and provides it as the dependency result. But it doesn’t define how to send that key to the client.

Parameters

name · str · required

Header name.

scheme_name · str | None · default: "None"

Security scheme name. It will be included in the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at /docs).

description · str | None · default: "None"

Security scheme description. It will be included in the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at /docs).

auto_error · bool · default: "True"

By default, if the header is not provided, APIKeyHeader will automatically cancel the request and send the client an error.

If auto_error is set to False, when the header is not available, instead of erroring out, the dependency result will be None.

This is useful when you want to have optional authentication or when you want to have authentication that can be provided in one of multiple optional ways (for example, in a header or in an HTTP Bearer token).

Example

from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI
from fastapi.security import APIKeyHeader

app = FastAPI()

header_scheme = APIKeyHeader(name="x-key")

@app.get("/items/")
async def read_items(key: str = Depends(header_scheme)):
    return {"key": key}

---

APIKeyCookie

API key authentication using a cookie.

This defines the name of the cookie that should be provided in the request with the API key and integrates that into the OpenAPI documentation. It extracts the key value sent in the cookie automatically and provides it as the dependency result. But it doesn’t define how to set that cookie.

Parameters

name · str · required

Cookie name.

scheme_name · str | None · default: "None"

Security scheme name. It will be included in the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at /docs).

description · str | None · default: "None"

Security scheme description. It will be included in the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at /docs).

auto_error · bool · default: "True"

By default, if the cookie is not provided, APIKeyCookie will automatically cancel the request and send the client an error.

If auto_error is set to False, when the cookie is not available, instead of erroring out, the dependency result will be None.

This is useful when you want to have optional authentication or when you want to have authentication that can be provided in one of multiple optional ways (for example, in a cookie or in an HTTP Bearer token).

Example

from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI
from fastapi.security import APIKeyCookie

app = FastAPI()

cookie_scheme = APIKeyCookie(name="session")

@app.get("/items/")
async def read_items(session: str = Depends(cookie_scheme)):
    return {"session": session}