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

# Authentication

> Use bearer tokens to authenticate Caspen API requests

## Overview

All Caspen API requests use bearer token authentication. Include your token in the `Authorization` header on every call.

## Bearer token authentication

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.caspen.com/v1/clients \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/json"
```

<Warning>
  Bearer tokens provide the same access as the issuing account. Store them securely and rotate them if you suspect compromise.
</Warning>

## Getting your token

1. Sign in to the Caspen dashboard as an account owner.
2. Go to **Settings -> API keys**.
3. Create a new token and copy it immediately.
4. Store the token in a secure secret manager or environment variable.

Tokens do not expire automatically. Revoke and regenerate them from the dashboard whenever you need to change access.

## Implementation tips

* Send requests over HTTPS (TLS 1.2 or higher).
* Never embed tokens in client-side code or logs.
* Use separate tokens for different services or environments to simplify rotation.

Refer to the [Security](security) guide for more hardening recommendations.