Authentication

PincerAPI supports two authentication methods: API keys (for agents) and JWT cookies (for the web dashboard).

API Keys (Bearer Token)

This is the primary auth method for programmatic access.

Generating a Key

• Sign in to the dashboard
• Navigate to Dashboard → API Keys
• Click Create New Key
• Copy the key immediately — it's only shown once

Keys have the format: pincer_sk_{48_hex_chars}

Using Your Key

Include it in the Authorization header:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer pincer_sk_YOUR_KEY" \
  https://pincerapi.com/api/v1/apis

Or use the X-API-Key header:

curl -H "X-API-Key: pincer_sk_YOUR_KEY" \
  https://pincerapi.com/api/v1/apis

Key Management

• Disable/Enable: Toggle keys without deleting them
• Revoke: Permanently deactivate a key
• Multiple keys: Create separate keys per agent or environment

JWT Cookies (Web Dashboard)

The web dashboard uses HTTP-only JWT cookies for session management.

• Cookies are set on POST /api/auth/login
• Cleared on POST /api/auth/logout
• Automatically sent with browser requests
• Not intended for programmatic use

Auth Errors